Set In Motion By The Fates
by Pen-Always-In-Hand
Summary: Nessie chooses Nahuel instead of Jacob, who is not in as much pain as would be expected. Perhaps because a certain she-wolf is helping him forget? T for some suggestive images and mild swearing. Blackwater, Hybrids R/N
1. Break

**A.N-Hey guys! I _should _be working on my Kane Chronicles fic, but I was reading Breaking Dawn earlier, and that made me browse through Nessie&Nahuel fics, and then Leah&Jacob fics, and I decided to write this.

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Renesmee Carlie Cullen bit her lip nervously as she made her way down to La Push, to talk with her best friend, her surrogate big brother, one of her many protectors-her imprinter, Jacob Black. That made him, technically, her future husband, or something of the sort, but she had never thought of Jake that way. He had always been there, helped her through her problems when not one else could, but Nessie could never imagine loving him that way.

Jake had explained it all to her when she was six, and starting to look at boys-and boys started looking at her. Her parents, uncles, aunt Rosalie, and Jacob hadn't been too pleased. She had kind of liked the way he got jealous, though she didn't care. He was being silly; she didn't see much in human boys anyway.

Well..._all_ human boys, at least.

Nahuel, the vampire-human hybrid who had saved her life, her family's lives, and all their friends' lives. Nahuel, who knew it what it was like to be half and half, not human but not quite the same as a vampire. Nessie wanted to be with him. She wanted him for a mate, because she truly, irrevocably loved him, not because of some ancient wolf tradition. It was when Jacob had asked her on a date that she had told him she didn't think 'this imprint thing is going to work' because she liked someone else. Her exact words had been,

"You're not my earth, sun, and moon, anymore, Jacob. A comet has blown me off course, and the only thing I see is its dazzling light." He had been startled, then a bit angry because he was envious of the man who had stolen her heart. Muttering 'like mother like daughter' under his breath, he looked like he was about to to explode out of his shorts. But he had pulled himself together before he phased and asked me to at least think about it for a while.

"I just want you to be happy," he'd said. "Your happiness is all I've ever wanted." But she could tell he was hurting.

It had been several weeks since then. She had thought about it long and hard, and she had made up her mind. Jacob was wonderful in many things: he always talked with her (or more let her talk to him) and always told her she was wonderful, as if she didn't hear it all the time. He didn't mind answering stuff about werewolves, and whenever Leah or Embry (more often Leah) started to get mean, he would tell them to go away. It was never an order, but Embry didn't seem to understand the difference, and because she didn't have to do it Leah went. Nessie had once heard her say to Jacob,

"I will do whatever you tell me to, Jacob Black, as long as you never order me to do it." And then Renesmee realized that Leah loved her Alpha, and felt terribly guilty that she was the reason the female werewolf had lost another love to imprinting.

But Jacob always seemed to be there, and while most people might think that a good thing, Nessie didn't like his hovering. He didn't understand she needed her space sometimes.

With Nahuel, it was different. He knew what she was talking about, and joined in on the conversation. He listened intently, while Jake had just nodded at what he thought were the right places. Renesmeecouldn't really blame him for not understanding, but he could at least try to keep up with her. Nahuel complimented her, but it was with subtleness and love and a little amusment. He never just tried to please her, and she felt so safe in his presence. Not that she couldn't defend herself, and Jake and her family was an immense comfort. But somehow Nahuel felt like her guardian angel.

Yes. He was her angel.

And now she would have tell to Lucifer to bow to Adam.*

...  
Jake's P.O.V  
Billy's house, La Push...

I groaned. Leah Clearwater, my oh-so-lovely Beta, was pestering me again. I was doing something important, something for _her_. It wasn't that I didn't want her to talk to me, tell me if I was doing anything wrong. I was just so revved up, I needed to concentrate. 'Course, now I couldn't remember what I was supposed to be doing. It had something to do with her back...and were pants involved?. It would be so much easier to remember if she would just _take her damn lips away from my ear for two seconds!_

"Leah," I moaned, rolling sideways on my bed, giving up. "Why are you doing this to me?" The she-wolf leapt on top of me, grinning down at me triumphantly. She didn't answer me, just took her finger and ran it across my neck, and then down my chest. She spread both her hands on my chest and breathed heavily in my ear. I moaned, wanting more of her teasing.

"I'm not doing anything to you," she said. How wrong she was! She was doing _everything_ to me...except one thing. I would have to _work_ for that, she had told me. "This was _your _idea, remember." She put her elbows on my shoulders, pinning me down more efficiently. I growled a little, and she smiled. She liked this game.

In a flash, I had broken her hold and had her pinned down on the bed instead. I was growling, she was doing something between giggling and snickerng. She had grown her black hair out a little bit (it was just past her shoulders) since it was getting cold and she wanted to be warm when she was in wolf form. Her brown eyes were actually giddy, challenging, but also...suspicious.

With a start I realized she didn't think this would last. That I was just using her to take her mind off Nessie. My whole being cringed at that word, and my heart actually hurt. But I knew, in the way she looked at me, and then at _him_-I couldn't bring myself to think the name-that that was who she had chosen. And I couldn't be upset. I knew I should be, though. I should be in pain, as much when Bella chose Edward, but a thousand times worse. But I didn't. Maybe it was because I knew Nessie was safe, and I knew she was happy.

I grabbed Leach's face in my hands and kissed her on the lips roughly, then more gentle. She didn't need any other invitation. She leaned against me so we were both sitting on my bed. I ran my hands through her short, silky hair and she explored my back, my chest, my arms...anything not covered was now her territory. She groaned when I ran my tongue along her throat, and that's when we heard the door open, and the little gasp that followed.

We both turned toward the interruption on instinct, and we were both surprised when we saw Renesmee Carlie Cullen staring at us, her mouth open. I looked at the two of us. I guess we were a sight: Leah's shirt was on the floor, and one bra strap was hanging off her shoulder. I was always shirtless, but there was a rip in my shorts, and the sheets were all wrinkled.

Well. I bet this is something no wolf in the whole history of the Quileute packs had ever done-gotten caught cheating on their imprint. Hell, cheating on the imprint was most assuredly unheard of, as well. Nessie stared at us for a long time. Leah snarled and said in an anger-laced voice,

"What do you want, half-leech?" I glared at her. While I really didn't want Nessie to be here, I didn't like Leah's tone. But then my heart squeezed when I saw the suspicion more clearly in her eyes, and I wished I hadn't said anything.

But how was this possible? I was supposed to see no one but Renesmee. Maybe because she didn't need me, didn't want me, I was able to look past her face. Nessie was suddenly aware of her gaping mouth, closed it and then said in an astonished but otherwise emotionless voice,

"Well, Jake I came here to talk to you about...my choice. I want Nahuel. And it seems you've moved on quite fine. So...bye." And then she was gone. Just like that. I stared after her retreating back, and then shook my head to clear it. I wasn't as hurt as I'd thought I'd be. Wow. That was great. But...what would happen with the treaty? If her rejecting me didn't cause pain, what would happen if someone killed her?

A roar of rage struggled to free itself from my throat as soon as it crossed my mind. And I understood now. My role in Nessie's life was not as a lover, but as a constant protector, an ever-watching guard for her. But first...

I looked at my Beta, and shock coursed through. It was like I had never seen her before. Leah was beautiful, so much it hurt. Something in her expression told me that she was looking at me differently now. _She's mine. All mine_. I took glee in thinking these words. A possessive, feral instinct came over me. I wanted her, so badly, but another ancient feeling reminded me that she must want me just as much.

"Jake," she whispered, her voice awed and frightened at the same time. "Jake, I think we just imprinted...on each other. But...how is that possible?" I shook my head. I didn't know. I did have a theory though.

"Maybe...maybe this was all some sort of set up by the Fates," I whispered. She looked at me, confused. "What I mean is, if I hadn't imprinted on Nessie, Sam's pack would have slaughtered the Cullens before the Volturri could do it. I couldn't imprint on you, and vice versa, before that. And now that she's safe, and made her choice, I think I'm...somewhat free now. I will always want to protect her, but-but not as much as you." Leah stared at me for a long, long time, and then she kissed me.

She shimmied out of the rest of her bra, and then pulled off her shorts. She smiled, almost tauntinly. "You've earned it," she whispered in my ear.

And slowly, softly, the cord that tied me to the beautiful female hybrid broke. The strings that held me before her retied themselves, only to merge together to form a bridge, leading to Leah Clearwater. My imprint.

My true soul mate.

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**A.N-Yeah, I'm not so sure if this is at all possible, but since SM didn't go into much detail about how rejecting an imprint works, I've decided it might be something like this. I'm a real big Blackwater fan. Anything that will get Nessie and Nahuel together (or at least not with Jake. I love ya, big guy, but I just can't ship this.) Though I like Leah&Nahuel pairings too...**

***There is a theory that Lucifer rebelled against God because God wanted him to bow to Adam, the first man. But Lucifer refused, asking if 'a son of fire should be forced to bow to a son of clay?'**


	2. Cat's Out Of The Bag

**A.N-I have decided to add on to this story, because I would like to see how things work out between Leah and Jacob.

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Leah shifted nervously as she stood in her mother's kitchen, with Jacob next to her. Billy looked at them curiously. They had asked the man here on the pretense of staying here for dinner. As soon as Sue came that ploy would be busted, but by then she and Jake would tell their news.

It had been a week since they had imprinted on each other, and now Jacob wanted to come out. Well, he had wanted to come out right after, but she had asked him to wait. She hated doing that, because he really wanted to and she wanted to make him happy. But Jake had agreed, because he wanted to make _her _happy. So now they were going to tell her mother, brother, and his father about them. Leah had figured Seth could tell Quil and Embry, and she and Jake could tell Sam and his pack. Seth had just walked in, with Sue in tow. She looked at her daughter and the two Blacks, and then asked Leah,

"What's wrong? Is something the matter?" Leah shook her head. She had told Jake she would tell them. "Nothing is wrong." She smiled a little. "No, for once, everything is right." She took Jake's hand, a movement nobody missed, and said,

"Jake and I imprinted. On each other." There was silence. Then Sue was in front of Leah, and hugged her tightly. Leah wiggled a little bit, uncomfortable. This didn't feel like an accepting, congratulatory hug. It frightened her, because it reminded her of when her father died, and everyone hugged her and told her they were sorry and that everything was going to be all right.

Leah stepped away. She didn't want that kind of hug now; not for something so good, so wonderful, so beautiful as Jake and her together.

Seth was growling, and starting to shake. Billy still had a shocked look on his face, mumbling how it wasn't possible, imprints had never been broken, wolves only had _one _soul mate, maybe Sam's theory was wrong...blah, blah, blah. The she-wolf was more concerned with trying to pry her brother off their Alpha. The boy was yelling,

"How dare you! How dare you do this to her! Were you getting Alpha tips from Sam? Is that were you got this idea? Well, newsflash for you, Jacob, I'm not going to let you do that, Alpha my ass!" Seth had Jake against the wall, and he wasn't fighting back. The boy's fist was raised, but Leah caught it and held it back. Her brother turned to glare at her.

"What the hell, Leah! Don't defend him! Why are you going along with this, anyway?" A thought occurred to him, and rage crossed his features. He ripped his hand out of his sister's grasp, surprising her, and it connected with Jacob's face.

"You slimy son of a bitch! I swear, if you ordered her to-"

"SETH!" Leah yelled, causing him to stumble back in surprise. She spun him around and grabbed his shoulders. She looked into his eyes and said,

"Jacob didn't order me to do anything. You know he wouldn't do that; and even if he did, I would most definitely tell you. Okay? I-I love him. Even without this imprint. It just makes it stronger." Leah gulped. She realized how true these words were, now that they were said out loud. "This doesn't change anything. You're still my brother. My stupid, simpleminded, innocent baby brother whom I love." Seth looked at her for a long, long time. Then, very quietly, he said,

"Okay."

Sue looked at Jacob, then at Leah, and back again. She sighed, and then told him.

"I guess I accept this. Since you make my daughter happy, I'm glad. But the instant you make her _un_happy, I don't care if you are a werewolf, I am going to hurt you. Are we clear?" Jake gulped, trying to look scared, but he couldn't keep the grin off his face.

"Crystal, ma'am."

...  
Sam and Emily's house...

Jake was grinning as he knocked on the Uleys' door. He was happy. He had been accepted by his girlfriend-yes, girlfriend-girlfriend's family, and his father was happy for him. Seth was running to tell Quil and Embry. Jake had met Sam and asked him to gather his pack. He had to tell the older boy twice that it was _good _news. So now he and Leah were going to tell the other wolves.

Emily opened the door and ushered them into the living room, where the eleven (excluding Sam) members of Sam's pack sat waiting for the good news they had been gathered to hear. Jacob took a deep breath and said,

"Well, Nessie...kind of...broke up with me, even though we weren't like that. She broke the imprint." There were murmurs amongst the pack, as this had never been heard of before. Jake held up a hand, causing everyone to settle down.

"Leah was with me at the time, and then I-I re-imprinted on her." There was silence. Then Collin said incredulously,

"You imprinted on the harpy?" Leah glared at him and growled, but Jake was over him in a flash, snarling a little and showing his teeth. He leaned in and hissed,

"Yes, I imprinted on Leah. Don't you _dare _call her a harpy, or anything like that, again, you hear me? Broken bones hurt. A lot." Collin leaned away from the other Alpha, cowed.

As the other wolves crowded Jacob, some looking over at Leah, Sam came over and asked the she-wolf if she would talk to him outside. The girl shrugged and followed him out of the house. Sam walked to the edge of his lawn, probably trying to stay close but give them as much privacy as possible. Then he turned.

"Well, Lee-Lee, I'm happy for you. Really, I am. But I wanted to tell you, that maybe you should take it slow with Jake. I spent a long time with Emily after I imprinted on her" Sam wasn't that surprised to see that Leah's face was still emotionless when he said that "but it took me a long time to really love her." He ran his hand through his hair. "Do you know what I mean?" Leah nodded.

"Yeah. Believe it or not, I do. But...Sam, that really isn't your any of your business, so if you don't mind...butt out." Sam laughed.

"Well, at least you're still the same Leah. I would miss that." He smiled, the kind that used to make Leah's heart melt. It was strange, because now all she could think when she that was_, Jake should smile some more. I'll make _sure _he smiles more. _It was weird, but she liked it. She had finally, truly moved on. She said,

"Yeah, well, it's not like you see me much anyway." Sam looked thoughtful.

"Speaking of that, are you still going to stay at the Cullens', or come home, now that Nessie doesn't need Jake?" Leah was a bit startled. She hadn't thought ahead that far. She was just happy wherever Jake was. She shrugged in answer to his question.

"I don't know. We might back." She shrugged again. Sam nodded. He looked past her and grinned. Leah turnd around and saw Jacob smiling guiltily as he stepped away from the window. Her ex said,

"I best give you back, before he come charging out here." Leah snickered. She turned to the Uley,

"I'm glad you're happy for us. I appreciate it." She gave him a quick hug, and then walked toward her Jacob.


	3. Date With The Doc

Leah's P.O.V

I stared at the Cullen house, feeling anxious at what I was about to do. Jake was planning a bachelor party for Sam, Edward and Bella were on another honeymoon. Renesmee and Nahuel were hunting, and Alice and Rosalie had dragged their husbands shopping. It was just Esme and Carlisle home. I had done research to make sure no one else was around when I made my request. I gulped.

Two months. Two months since Nessie had broken the imprint, since Jake and I imprinted on each other. A couple of weeks after that, I had been eating a lot-even more than a werewolf normally eats-sleeping, vomiting and getting more cranky than ever. And I even looked rounder in my stomach. I knew the symptoms, but I told myself that it wasn't possible. I was barren! Menopausal! There was absolutely no way in the fricking world that I, Leah Clearwater, was pregnant, much less with my Alpha and imprint's baby. No way.

But...how exactly would I know? I wasn't a virgin, but Jake was my first-and my only, I was fairly certain of. I came close, very close, with Sam, but he had wanted to wait until we were married. And it wasn't like I had a girl werewolf to talk to; I was the only one. So, maybe it was possible, but I wanted to check with a doctor. And since I ran a temperature at which a normal person would be dead, and my muscles weren't right for a girl (for anyone for that matter), I couldn't go to a normal hospital without having tests done. So I couldonly go to the one doctor who knew about me: Carlisle Cullen.

I knocked on the door, feeling sort of silly doing so. I hadn't spent much time in the leeches' house when Bella was pregnant, or any other time, but the motherly one, Esme, had told me time and time again that I was welcome. I really hadn't taken her up on her offer;I was only there with Jake, and even then I usually left. So I figured I would be nice and polite and knock.

Esme opened the door, looking surprised. But then her face lit up in a smile, much like whenever Emily saw me at her door of my own free own. Of the nine bloodsuckers I couldn't hate, it was Esme, Carlisle, and their bear of a 'son', Emmett. She was caring, and usually stayed as far back from me as possible, to eliminate the stink she gave off. She always provided our little pack with food and clothes (the latter of which I never really touched) and just made you feel comfortable, if you got past the stink and the fact that she was leech.

Her husband was just as kind, and I had to admire him for his restraint and willingness to save lives. I had heard from Edward that he never turned anyone that wasn't dying. And Emmett...he was like a child sometimes, bustling around with jokes and playful insults, getting into fights with his brothers, and even sometimes Bella. He gave off an innocent, playful mood that you couldn't shake. He was even better than the empath, Jasper.

"Hello, Leah. Is there something you need? It's just Carlisle and myself here right now," Esme began.

"I know," I said. "Can I see the doc?" The vampire nodded and stepped back to let me in. She directed me up the stairs to his office and then flitted to the couch and began to speed-read through a book she had probably read a thousand times. Sometimes immortality could be really boring.

Carlisle was expecting me; I had expected that, since he could hear and smell me. He greeted me warmly, just like his wife, and I felt grief at once, mourning my own father. It was no wonder the Cullen 'children' loved their leader, their father figure. He was just as much to them as any.

"What can I do for you, Leah? Anything wrong?" He was thinking of some medical problem, no doubt. Which was true, just not life-threatening. Well, no. Bella's pregnancy had certainly been life-threatening, and even today some human mothers didn't survive the birth of their child. I shouldn't be taking this so lightly.

"Carlisle, I...see, I think I may..." I faltered. For once I almost wished Edward was hear to read my mind, so I wouldn't have to say my condition out loud. So I settled on telling him my symptoms. He was smart; I was sure he would figure it out. The doc had a finger to his chin, and he kept nodding thoughtfully. Then he smiled a little, and said,

"Leah, I believe you are pregnant." I shuddered a little. It felt weird, hearing the words said out loud. The vampire saw my movement and frowned.

"Are you...upset about this?" he asked slowly. My eyes widened and I shook my head. While it was still unnerving, I liked the thought of having a baby of my own, from my own body. That was when I decided to love my little child, and I think I understood how Bella felt, about letting Renesmee crack her bones and kill her from the inside out. It was love for the thing you carried, pure and simple.

"No, no, it's just...I want to know how this is possible. I mean, I don't get my period anymore," I said. Carlisle nodded again, looking thoughtful once more.

"I have a theory," he said finally. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Oh, joy, another theory straight from the mind of Doctor Vamp! But I shook my head. i was the one who asked. I blame it on hormones. "Let's hear it."

"Well, you say you don't get your period, but do you know what it is?" I scowled. Why was he asking me this? I did have a general idea of what it was, but nothing vey scientific.

"It's when an egg gets ready to get fertilized but gets destroyed when the woman doesn't have sex and it comes out as blood," I said. He nodded. Well, at least I wasn't that far off the mark.

"And do you know that in some woman, having their periods hurt?" I nodded, grimacing. _Mine_ had hurt. That's why I had been sort of relieved when it stopped coming, so I wouldn't have to deal with the pain. And face it, periods are just a _pain, _what with the blood and tampons and worrying when it will happen...

"Yeah. Mine did." Carlisle nodded, almost as if this confirmed his suspicions. He continued,

"I think that, due to your accelerated healing rate and the fact that your period hurt, phasing into a wolf more or less _healed_ you of your menstrual cycle, but it was always still there." I stared at him. Could this be for real? Could I..really be pregnant, could have been all the time? I was so happy, and I did something I didn't think I would ever do: I hugged a leech.

"Thank-you so much, doc! I have to go tell Jacob!" I released him and saw that his eyebrow was raised. Hmm. I guess he didn't think Jake was the father, if he had bothered to guess. Ah well. That was my business. And thinking of _my _business...

"Oh, please don't tell anyone! And if you can help it, don't think about this _at all, _please. No offense, doc, but I don't really fancy anyone else in your family knowing. I just want Jake, Mom, Seth and Billy to know, okay?" Carlisle smiled and nodded.

"All right, Leah. I'm sure Esme will agree with this." From downstairs a musical 'Yes' was heard. "Oh, and Leah, one more thing. I don't think it would be...healthy, for the baby or you, if you phase until the end of your pregnancy." I stared at him, very sad. I was opposed to being a wolf, but I did like the speed, and now just talking to Jake and not Sam was nice. But I nodded and said 'okay.

Then I was off to La Push to tell my family.

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**A.N-Yeah, Leah's pregnant. It just didn't really seem fair if she couldn't, you know? And since I'm breaking the imprint, why not defy mythological logic even more?**


	4. More Secrets

Jacob stared at Leah.

They were in her bedroom, just hanging out. At least, they had been, until Leah dropped the bomb. Jacob could hardly think, let alone speak. But her eyes begged him to, pleaded him to put an end to the expectant, uncomfortable silence that had descended upon them. So he did.

"You're...you're-wow, i mean that's...I can't believe-you and, and I, we're..." All right, so he couldn't actually _manage _a sentence, but it was a start.

"Yes. I'm pregnant." And there it was again. Just two little words, but they contained such power. They had the ability to change people's lives. Jacob sat down on Leah's bed, spreading his fingers on her purple quilt. He looked at the walls, painted a light green, at the photo of her and Seth and Harry two years before he died, at the lamp on her desk: anywhere but her face.

"You...you don't want it, do you? Is that why you won't look at me?" Leah asked, a catch in her voice.

Well, _now _he looked at her. Eyes wide, Jacob got up off the bed and stepped closer to her.

"No, no! It's not _that, _of course not. It's just-" he took a deep breath. "I'm in shock a little bit, you know? I mean, I kind of, you know, always wanted a family. I never thought about it with Nessie"-here he saw Leah's eye twitch a little; she didn't like remembering that he had had an imprint before-"and then with you I knew it wouldn't happen, and I was okay with it. And-and now, to find out you-_we-_can, it's...it's...I don't know, mind-boggling."

Leah's tense features relaxed, and she smiled, just a tiny bit. "Well," she said, "that's good to know. I was a little...afraid," she admitted. Jake mockingly put a hand over his heart in a shocked voice,

"Leah Clearwater was _afraid _of something? Preposterous!" Leah smacked his arm a laughed. She was obviously much happier; the burden of her secret-and the fear of Jacob's rejection-had been lifted off her shoulders.

It was only then, after the shock and worry were over, did they notice another smell in the room. Jake and Leah turned toward the door and saw Seth standing there. His eyes were wide, and his frame was shaking a little.

The couple looked at each other. They hadn't wanted him to find out this way. Leah took a hesitant step towards her brother, her hand like she was approaching a wild animal. Seth did look like an animal right now. His shaking had gotten worse, and his hands were balled into fists at his side.

"Seth?" Leah said, carefully. "It's all right. Everything's fine. Just...just stop shaking, okay? I don't think Mom wants a dent in the wall. Just painted, and all." The werewolf's eyes were closed as he struggled to calm down. He didn't want to hurt anybody; least of all his sister and surrogate brother. Especially when she was _pregnant. _

_"You're pregnant," _he said to Leah, when he had regained control. She nodded, still wary. "And Jake's the father?

"Well, who else?" A little of the regular Leah shone through. "I mean, do you think I go around sleeping with every guy I see? I thought you knew me better than that, Seth." Seth smiled a little bit and Jake laughed quietly. But then the Alpha asked uncertainly,

"Are you gonna kill me now, Seth?" His tone was half joke, half real concern. Seth's brow furrowed as he thought about it. Jake _was _his friend, and the younger boy's Alpha. He was also his sister's imprint. It was against pack laws-not to mention Seth's morals-to inflict such pain on a fellow wolf. And the Clearwater also didn't want his little niece or nephew growing up without a dad. So that, and the glare Leah was giving him, made up te wolf's mind.

"Nah." The he grinned. "I'll let my mom do the honors." Jake looked horrified, and Leah groaned. Sue Clearwater had barely gotten used to her and Jacob dating; how would she handle being a grandmother so early?

As if he had read her mind, Jake wrapped an arm around Leah. "We might as well get it over with." The girl nodded.

...

She actually took it better than they expected. She went off on a rant about how it was reckless and irresponsible, and they were too young and what were you thinking...but she offered the baby a home, and said she would cherish whatever Leah brought into the world. Billy was with her one hundred percent.

Jacob and Leah were sitting on a fallen long on the beach, watching the sun set.

"Now, that wasn't so bad, was it?" Leah shook her head. Then she turned to her boyfriend and said,

"I love you Jacob. I love this baby you've given me, no matter what, and I will do everything to make it-and you-happy. I want you to know that I can take care of myself pretty well, but any help is appreciated. I don't want you to do everything for me, though I do want-and since you said you want the baby, I expect-you to involve yourself. I know this is a lot to take in, and I'm sorry, but I needed to get this out."

Jacob stared at her, and then he kissed her softly on the mouth. He put his forehead on hers, and said,

"Whatever you need, baby, I'll be there. For you and the little guy. I love you, too. I know very well that you can take care of yourself, but I need you to know that I'll be there when you can't." And then he kissed her again, and they stayed that way long after the sun had been swallowed by the sea.


	5. Time To Tell

**A.N-So sorry I haven't updated. Won't go into details; I've decided to just apologize and get on with it, because I doubt you care about the reasons and just want to get on with the story. So here you go.**

* * *

"You want me to do _what?"_ Leah asked incredulously. Jacob stood beside her, looking just as against this suggestion. Carlisle Cullen sighed and said again,

"I think you should let my family know about your condition."

"And why the hell would I do that?" Carlisle sighed again. He ran his fingers through his hair and said in an exasperated voice,

"Because you can't keep this a secret much longer. I can't cross the boundary line, so you have to get your check-ups at my house, and all of them are there now. They're going to be suspicious. And when it's time for the birth, they're going to know then. Plus, Leah, you don't look like you're twenty weeks pregnant." Leah saw the sense in that argument, loathe as she was to admit it. But that last bit had her confused, curious, a little insulted, and worried for her baby.

"What do you mean?" Jacob beat her to the question, just as worried as she was. Carlisle held up his hands when he sensed the parents' alarm.

"I don't mean anything bad. It's just that Leah looks more around...I'd say thirty-three weeks. Like she could give birth fairly soon," he elaborated when he saw their blank looks. They were immediately replaced by dismay.

"But..that's normal, right, Doc? Nothing's, like, wrong, right?" Jacob asked nervously. Carlisle looked thoughtful, which neither werewolves found very comforting.

"I'm not entirely sure," he admitted. "In fact, I'm mostly certain that that's not normal. She shouldn't be this big. Of course, this could be a side effect from being a shape shifter," the vampire mused. Leah shook her head.

"But Mom's pregnancy was normal with Seth. And she said I was fine, too. Dad had the gene, too." Jacob nodded.

"Yeah, Billy, he said that Mom's pregnancy with all three of us was fine."

"Your fathers never phased," Carlisle said softly. That silenced their protests."It could be Jacob's Alpha blood, but I think it might be Leah." The woman narrowed her eyes at her enemy-turned-ally/maybe-friend and growled,

"Are you saying I'm hurting my baby?" The doctor held up his hands again, shaking his head.

"No, no, nothing like that. I simply meant that this accelerated growth might be related to the fact that both parents are shape shifters, and still phasing as well." He let his words sink in, and he could see that victory would soon be his. He had logic on his side, and the two parents couldn't argue or wheedle their way out of his request, for the sake of their baby.

"Fine," Leah grumbled. "I'll tell them. Let's go."

...  
At the Cullens' house...

There were mixed reactions.

They didn't even need to speak. One look at her enlarged stomach was enough. Everyone, besides Esme, was certainly surprised, shocked even. Renesmee and Nahuel, along with her parents, had congratulated them on the spot. Alice had gotten up and hugged her right then and there. Jasper had just offered them a small smile.

The only two who didn't have a reaction were the ones Leah had been fearing the most. Emmet hadn't spared them a second glance once he saw. His attention had all gone to his mate, who hadn't moved an inch. Rosalie just kept staring at Leah's stomach, calm and composed, but the she-wolf could see the despair, the anger, shock, and hurt shimmering just below the surface.

Finally, very, very slowly, Rosalie got up and walked over to them. Emmet put a hand on her shoulder, but she shrugged it off.

"Don't follow me," she said softly to her husband.

All eyes on her, but she just brushed past them, saying she needed some air. Everyone knew she didn't, knew that she just really needed to get over that fact that Leah, her fellow spinster, had defied logic, gotten pregnant and broke her promise. Betrayed her.

_One day Leah just couldn't take the way Jacob looked at Nessie, so she ran out to be in the woods for a while. There she had met Rosalie. The werewolf had been utterly surprised. She figured the blond would be doting over her little niece, her stolen child. When told so, the vampress just shrugged._

_"She doesn't want me. Not like when she was young. Sure, she still loves me, likes to spend time with me. But when I see her look at her parents, or that dog-" Leah didn't mind, she had gotten used to the diminutive-"and I know I've lost her. No, you can't lose what you never had. She's always been Bella's, in the end." She sighed, and then managed a tight smile at Leah._

_"At least we have each other." And then the two made a silent promise to always be there for the other, to say that they were alone in their longings for something they could never have because of what they were._

And now Rosalie didn't have that anymore. Leah had destroyed the pact, violated their vow. That's how she saw it. Part of her knew she should be glad that at least one of them got to have a baby, but she couldn't see past her own unfulfilled longings, ones that she knew would never be filled. Leah at least didn'thave a direct negative.

The smell let Rosalie know that the she-wolf had followed her. They were silent for a long time. Finally the vampire said,

"I'm not sure if I should be mad at Emmett for not coming after me, or glad that he respected my wishes."

"I'd go with glad. He'd be too confused otherwise." They were quiet once again. Leah took a deep breathe, put a hand on her stomach-_her baby_-and said,

"I'm sorry, Rosalie. For breaking my promise. I didn't mean to, honest, but...well, you know. I'm sorry that you won't get a miracle, but I can't-I _won't_-apologize for mine." Rosalie turned her head slowly, and said,

"I'd kill you if you did." And Leah knew that she was forgiven, that the vampire was all right with this. It didn't matter so much in the long run, but Leah felt better if she gave birth in the best environment possible. An angry vampire with a grudge against you did not count in her book.

The two went back, and laughed a little at the obvious relief on Jacob and Emmett's faces as they came out of the forest, looking friendly. Leah then went upstairs for her check-up.

The news was quite shocking.

She was pregnant with twins.


	6. I'm Definitely In Labor

**A.N-I am so, so, so sorry I haven't updated. However, I did give up FF for Lent this year, so I couldn't go on. And, you know how you have an idea for a story or chapter, but you just don't know how to weave the details in? Well, that's how it was with me. Oh, and by the way, Happy Easter!**

* * *

"The boy is definitely going to be Harry."

Leah and Jacob sat on her bed, discussing names for their twins. Carlisle told them that the babies were a boy and a girl, and should be due soon, due to Leah's werewolf genes (that was just a hunch). But he had assured them the twins and mother were both very healthy and the birth should go smoothly.

Jacob murmured his assent as he played with her hair. Leah huffed and turned her head to look at him. He had grown his hair out, and somehow he seemed even more muscular than before. Maybe the imprint had heightened her senses to see him more fully, to really _feel _him. Leah found she liked that. She _liked_ seeing Jacob, _liked_ knowing where he was. Liked knowing he was hers.

"Jake?" she asked. "You gonna contribute here?" Jacob looked at her and grinned his sly, flirtatious, mischievous grin.

"Well, it seems you don't need my help-or opinion-on our son's name. What's there to contribute?"Leah gave him a look, which made him grin even more.

"Fine," she said. "Do you want me to pick out our daughter's name, or would you like a say in that?" She paused, and then said softly, "Do you want to name her Sarah?"

Jacob stopped running his fingers through his girlfriend's hair and thought. Did he want his daughter to carry his dead mother's name? Some would argue that the fact Sarah Black was dead was reason enough. But he felt he wanted her to have her own name, one that told the world who she was and what she stood for. A name his unborn baby could relate to and be proud to have, proud to show the world that was who she was.

"No," Jacob said finally. "No, let's find another name." Leah, unaware of his thoughts as a human but knowing enough that this was a bit hard for him, nodded.

"Okay. To the Internet."

...

They finally settled on Tala, a Native American name that meant 'wolf' or 'wolf princess.' The two decided to check out Native American names. Jacob had suggested their own tribe's names, but Leah wanted a broader search.

When Jake saw Tala, and the meaning, he knew that this was the name his daughter should have. At first Leah was a little doubtful, not sure she wanted her daughter to shapeshift now that she knew it was possible, and naming her something that meant wolf seemed like taunting fate. Eventually she succumbed to Jake's charms and agreed to the name.

Seth came in with a glass of lemonade, something that Leah had asked him to get for her as she and Jake talked. The werewolf handed the glass to his sister and sat on the bed with them.

"Hey guys, I've been thinking," he started. His sister and Alpha (was his sister his Alpha too, since they were imprints and Leah was a wolf?) turned toward him, alert. He felt important now, but he couldn't let that distract him from what he had figured out. He cleared his throat and continued,

"I've been thinking that you guys need a place to live-"

"Mom's letting us stay," Leah interrupted. Jake nodded.

"Amd Billy said we're welcome anytime Sue gets tired of us," he said. Seth nodded.

"Yeah, but you can't stay with them forever. And if the kids are due now because they're growing so much, then what are you going to do when they're born? They'll need a big house. And I've been saving up. You guys have a little bit of money, right? If we put it togehter-and maybe ask a little from Mom and Billy-we can get a nice house. I mean, for now you can stay here, but..." Seth trailed off when he saw the two considered.

"That's actually a pretty good idea, Seth, " Leah said. She turned to Jacob. "What do you think?"

"You're right, it is good. Nice work, Seth." The werewolf glowed in the praise. Jacob turned pondering. "I could get a job at the mechanic's in town, get some money that way..." he stopped talking as he worked things out in his head.

All of a sudden, Leah gasped and grabbed her stomach. Her boyfriend and brother's eyes were immediately on her. Jake put his hands on her shoulders.

"Leah! What's wrong? Is it the kids? You?" A strangled groan was his answer. Then she managed to croak out,

"I think I'm going into labor." There was a _whoosh _and then a puddle appeared underneath her. Leah looked down. "Yeah, I'm definitely going into labor." Then she looked up and saw the boys staring at her like idiots.

"Don't just stand there!" she shrieked. "Do something! Take me to Carlisle!" Another groan.

Jacob sprang into action after that, lifting Leah up in his arms and telling Seth to go tell Carlisle they were coming. The soon-to-be-uncle zoomed out of the house, phased, and ran off in the direction of the Cullen house. The soon-to-be-father, with the soon-to-be-mother in his arms, ran as fast as he could as a human in the same direction, hoping desparately that his imprint and children would be all right.

* * *

**A.N-About the name they chose, I did a lot of research, and the most I could find out was that it meant: wolf, wolf princess, red wolf, and striking wolf. One source said that it was Sioux, but it wasn't the most reliable, so I'm not sure. But's that the gist of the meaning, and I like the way is sounds.**


	7. Enter Tala and Harry Blackwater

"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"*

This was the hear-piercing, hair-raising, glass-breaking, deaf-making scream of agony heard in the Cullens' home on the twenty-fifth of June in the year of our Lord 2011. Why was such noise coming from the vampires' house? Well, Leah Clearwater of the Black, Uley, and Atera families in the Quiluete tribe and first female wolf shapeshifter ever, Beta and imprint to Jacob Black of the Black and Atera families in the Quiluete tribe, true Alpha of the shapeshifters and Alpha of the Black pack, was giving birth to her and Jacob's twins. And it. F-ing. Hurt.

"OH MY GOD JACOB BLACK! YOU'RE NEVER GOING ANYWHERE NEAR ME AGAIN WITH YOUR STICK! DO YOU HEAR ME? NEVER! AAAAGGGGHHHH!"

Leah screeched at her boyfriend. The pain was at and passed the point of unbearable. Imagine being squeezed in a box. And you're claustrophobic, so panic is setting in. And then something-two somethings-are trying to squeeze out of _you. _Times that by ten. Then you'll get an idea of the kind of pain the female werewolf was going through.

"Yes dear," Jacob whispered, wincing. He was going to go temporarily deaf, if not permantly, from all the yelling. He wished he could do more than let Leah squeeze his hand off (which hurt just as much as her labor, he was sure) and say soothing words to calm Leah down, not that it was working.

"Come on, we almost have the first one out," Carlisle said. He had asked Leah who she would rather have as her attending doctor: him, Edward, or Rosalie. Not wanting Edward near her, and thinking asking Rose would be cruel, Leah had agreed to let the head vamp deliver her. "I can see the head. A few more pushes, Leah, come on."

With another cry of pain, Leah pushed along with the contractions, and a crying sound was heard. Leah only had so much time to marvel at her child's first sound, first breath of air, when more contractions hit. She pushed and pushed as Carlisle handed the first baby to Nessie to clean up (yes, Nessie was there. Jake had convinced Leah to name her Harry's godmother, and she knew a little bit of obstetrics).

Soon, a second voice added its lungs to its older sibling, this one even louder. As soon as the baby was out, Leah's own shrieks ceased. All was quiet execpt the twins' howling and the subtle bustle to get them clean, airways cleared and umbilical cords cut.* Then, when they were ready, Carlisle and Nessie approached the new parents, who were speechless with anticipation.

"Congradulations, Leah, Jacob. Your children are both in excellant health and so is Leah, it would seem." The vampire smiled as he and his granddaughter placed the children in their parents' arms. They stopped crying almost immediately, as if they could sense where they were and were happy to be there.

"Who came first?" Jacob asked, staring in awe at his daughter. She was super tiny. She was about half the size of his palm, perhaps a bit bigger. Her fingers were so small, so delicate he was afraid they would break. She had dark skin and brown eyes, but more like Leah's instead of his darker color. She had a small tuft of fine black hair. In other words, she was beautiful. Jacob couldn't help marveling at this little creature he had created with Leah. It didn't seem possible, but if did feel oh so right.

Leah was having similar thoughts. Her son was beautiful, with dark brown skin that was a few shades darker than his sister's, with the deep, dark brown eyes of his father and a nice covering of black that was silky fine. Leah looked up at Jake's words, also curious about their birth order. Carlisle's smile was still in place.

"Miss Tala," he said, having been informed of the names. He had the birth certificates all printed up: Tala Sarai Blackwater (Leah and Jacob had decided that Tala Sarah sounded a little weird, so they settled on the old Hebrew version of the name Sarah) and Harry William Blackwater.

Nessie looked at the babies and a contented sigh escaped her lips. Then she looked at the mother and blurted out,

"I sure hope it doesn't hurt as much as it sounded for _me_." Then she clamped a hand over her mouth, and blushed like crazy.* A crash was heard downstairs, preceded by furious cries of "What"!, followed by hissing and growls. Leah and Jacob stared at the female half-breed. She gulped. But the stares weren't accusatory, just shocked and kind of curious. Finally, Leah grinned.

"For your sake, kid, I sure hope not." Jacob asked,

"Are you sure you're pregnant? 'Cause, I mean, can you?" Nessie looked down and blushed again.

"Well," she began, "you know I'm still growing just a teensy weensy bit more, like half a centimeter a day, but still changing. And, you know, I was thinking, that if when I'm done growing and I become like any old regular female vampire, that means I can't change...which means I couldn't be able to have a baby. So I though, 'Well, why not try when I'm still growing?' So...yeah. We did it." There was another crash and Nahuel's voice was heard begging for mercy, promising that he hadn't hurt his mate, saying he would _never_ do that, it had been her idea...Renesmee sighed. She said to the werewolves,

"I better get down there before my parents, uncles, and Aunt Rose rip Nahuel apart. They might even burn the pieces this time." There was a smile on her face at the joke, but secretly she did feel a little bit sick at the thought of losing her mate forever. She would just _die _if that happened.

As the girl flounced downstairs, Leah and Jacob turned to look at her grandfather.

"You knew all along, didn't you?" Jacob asked. Carlisle smiled guiltily.

"Yes. She came to me when her parents were on their second honeymoon," he said, winking at the new mother. She smirked in response, remembering her own appointment with the doctor.

"So when can we bring them home?" Jacob asked, his attention back to his daughter. Leah's eyes were locked with her son's as well. The vampire doctor chuckled, and said,

"Probably in a few days, a week or a little more at most. I have to make sure they're stable enough, what with being born so early." The parents nodded still admiring their newborns. Carlisle chuckled again, and left the room, saying

"I'll give you four time to get to know each other."

Neither Quiluete looked up.

* * *

**A.N-Yay, I finally updated. What do you guys think? Is it realistic enough? Okay, let me know. Oh yeah, I'm thinking of adding on to this a bit more, or at the very most do a sequel, maybe about the Cullens and Leah and Jake and how they deal with the twins. Or maybe about the twins and Nessie and Nahuel's son(s)/daughter(s). What do you think. PLEASE let me know. If you don't, I'll set up a poll. PLEASE participate in that, at least.  
Anyway, time to get to the stars (*).**

*** one: I would have done the Ah! a lot longer, almost fill the page, but the STINKING DAMN COMPUTER/FANFICTION WORD THING WON'T STINKING LET ME! Ahem, anyway.**

*** two: I'm not sure if a lot of people know this, or if any or all of you do (I didn't) but I wasn't sure if twins, even fraternal, shared an umbilical cord. Apparently, they don't. Not even identical ones do.**

*** three: I had toyed with this idea about Nessie and Nahuel having a baby for a while, about whether it was possible for Nessie (I am 100% convinced males [Nahuel] can), whether I should put it in this story, have a separate story for it, or what. But that's what I came up with: Nahuel can have a child. Nessie can as long as she does it before she completely growns up (which may be gross, but she's physically and mentally WAAAAAY past her real age).**

**So there you have it. TTGN ;)**


	8. Title

**A.N-Hey guys. Are you glad I finally updated? Sorry for such a long wait; I was getting ideas, playing around, writing on and volunteering...so many reasons, which don't entirely matter. Anyway, I was thinking about expanding this, bring Joham in, maybe the Volturi...or some other evil vampire coven? Maybe 'real' werewolves. Let me know what you think, it would be very much appreciated.**

* * *

"WAAAAAAHHHHHHH! WAH, WAH, WAH!"

Jacob groaned and Leah cursed, both wanting to ignore the cry and settle back down into the loving arms of sleep. But these were their kids, and they couldn't do that, much as they wanted to. It sounded like both the twins were up and cranky, the noise had doubled in volume. Usually it was Harry who woke them up in the middle of the night; Tala slept great. But of course, there were those unusual times when it would be she who was demanding their presence.

"I will give you a million dollars if you get that," Jake pleaded. Leah groaned and shook her head. "No way. It's your turn.

She felt disoriented and very, very tired. Jake and she hadn't had a good night's sleep for _five fricking weeks. In a row._ They knew this would happen, but five months of being summoned by a cry was taking its toll. Seth, who lived with them in Sue's (old) house and slept like the dead through the racket his niece and nephew made, had offered to get them once in a while, but what was the point when he couldn't hear them? Sue wasn't here, because two months ago, she and Charlie had announced their plan to make a house together. They weren't getting married (neither were ready for that), but they did want to take the next step in their relationship. However, Sue didn't feel comfortable living with someone else in her and Harry's house, and Charlie was tormented by memories of Renee, so the two had decided to leave their houses to their children's use, and get a house that was centrally located near the police house, the Cullens' house, and La Push.

Leah, Jacob, Seth and the twins, naturally, made their home in Sue's old house. Bella really had no need for Charlie's house, what with her cottage and the main house, but Nessie and Nahuel were thinking of maybe making their home there. After four months of a painful and closely moniteered pregnancy that only her vampire heritage saved her from, the youngest Cullens had their own child, a little girl they had named Pire Rosbella Cullen. She had her fathers long black hair, and her mother's (and grandmother's and great-grandfather's) eyes. She had a heart, but it seemed to beat like a regular human's. Her skin was quite cold, actually; not as much as her vampire family, but definitely colder than her parents. She grew at a faster rate than normal, looking a few months older than she was. She couldn't speak, but she could hum. In fact, Edward and Carlisle thought that might be her 'gift', because when she hummed she made her parents feel very sleepy (it only worked on them, since they were the only two who _could _sleep).

Pire didn't seem to like solid foods, instead wanting blood. However, she only took from her mother's breast, in a twisted form of nursing. But Nessie seemed to love it. She had told Leah that having her daughter drink from her was a great rush, greater than sex, and maybe even drinking blood herself. Leah thought it was disgusting, frankly, but she wasn't a half-vamp with a second-generation half-vamp, so she couldn't really judge. And she did love the feeling of feeding her children.

As the cries continued, Jake and Leah groaned in unison, then the father proposed a compromise,

"How about we both get it this time, since they're both crying?" Leah said 'yes' immediately, wanting the noise to stop. So they both willed themselves to get out of bed and walk down the hall toward their children's room, formerly Leah's (she and Jake slept in her parents' old room, Seth kept his). It was painted a light green It had a changing table, two cribs, a playpen and dresser. Tala was standing up in her crib, while Harry just bawled on his back. Jake took his daughter, leaving Leah with Harry. With a whiff, she knew why he was crying. Jake was having to play 'Guess the Reason She's Crying' with Tala. She didn't have a full diaper, she didn't want to be rocked or sung to, and she refused her pacifier.

"I bet she's hungry. Here, take Harry and give her to me." Leah had decided to breast-feed her children, and wasn't about to wean them off any time soon. When Jake had expressed concern (and annoyance that he couldn't feed them when she wasn't around) for that, Leah ahd retorted that the Egyptians breast-fed their kids for_ three years_ to prevent illness. That had shut him up, because he didn't want his miracle babies to get sick. But it still annoyed him.

"Whew! Man, Harry, you stink," the boy's father commented as he began to change his diaper. Soon Harry's cries died down, and he started to happily suck on his thumb. Tala, too, was now calm as she drank her mother's milk. After a while, the parents held their sleeping children in their arms, rocking them a smiling.

"Hey, Leah." Said woman looked up at her mate, raising an eyebrow. "Yeah?"

"You ever think about marriage?"

Leah gave a start. She felt shocked, but then she started to feel panic, cold dread forming in the pit of her stomach. Jacob couldn't possibly be asking what she thought he was, was he? Despite the imprint, they still fought like regular couples, still got mad, annoyed with each other, refused to speak to each other. But it didn't last long, and then everything was good. They weren't _overally _affectionate, just enough for their taste. And they were happy. At least, Leah was, and she thought Jake was too. It wasn't that she didn't love Jake. _Of course _she did, but she just didn't want to get married. Wasn't loving each other enough? Living with each other, raising their children together?

"No. Why? Are...are-do you?" Jake ran a hand through his hair and put Harry in his crib. He stirred a bit, but remained asleep. Leah held on to Tala, almost like a shield against matrimony.

"Not...not really. I mean, I wouldn't _mind _getting married. But, I know you don't want it-"

"Oh, Jake, don't feel like that! I mean-I mean, I love that you're considerate of me, but" she swallowed "but, if you really want to get married..."

"No, no! God, Leah, this is harder than it should be." He turned away from her, ran a hand through his hair again, composing himself. Finally he faced her again, looking at those brown, brown eyes, and losing himself for a moment. Then he shook his head and continued,

"I was just wondering if you ever wanted to. I-I like our life. I mean, yeah, it isn't exactly perfect-your mom is helping pay the bills and stuff, and I still haven't finished high school-we've got kids now, and we're still young, some days I don't know how we're going to make it...but then I look at you, and Tala and Harry, or listen to Seth ramble on about what they did that day, or hold them-and you-in my arms, and I think, _This is Heaven. This little piece of perfect. _But I've always thought, about how you would react. If you want to make our love...more permanent."

"Jake..." she began slowly, trying to wrap her head around what he said. When she was sure she had it right, she continued,

"Jake, I don't need a ring or a dress to love you. I don't need a certificate or ceremony to know I'll love and have you forever. What's the point? Why waste the money and the time and the stress to say 'I love you'? I am absolutely, perfectly happy with the arrangement we have." She finally put Tala down so she could wrap her arms around him, bringing him in for a heated kiss. When they broke away, finally, she grinned devilishly, dragging him toward their bedroom. He got a wicked glint in his eyes and lifted her up bridal-style, dumping her on the bed.

As they began kissing and ripping their clothes off, Leah whispered in his ear,

"Besides, why would I want as my 'husand', when I can call you my 'mate'?" He nipped her neck, and she gasped with pleasure.

"I like that title a lot better."


	9. Visits

"Now Pire," Renesmee said, instructing her six-month-old daughter. "The people coming to see us are old friends of Mommy and Dadd, and you mustn't bite them or try to make them bleed. Do you understand?" Pire just looked at her mother, and then giggled, showing no sign that she had heeded Renesmee's words. The Cullen woman sighed, thinking back to the first time she had met Grandpa Charlie, and the similar speech _her_ mother hat given her. Renesmee had understood alright, and she could even express it. But her own daughter grew and developed at a mostly human pace. Renesmee's family was totally relieved, but, having grown-up with and being supernatural herself, she was a bit disappointed at Pire's slow rate. She was disgusted at herself for it, but she was disappointed all the same.

Mother and daughter were in the living room of their family cottage. The rest of the Cullens were at the main house, apparently wanting to give the wolves and hybrids some privacy when they got there.

"Are you nervous?" Renesmee looked up to see her mate looking at her with concern. She smiled, loving how well he could read her without her father or uncle's gifts.

"A little," she admitted. Then, making a spllit-second decision, she reached up to touch Nahuel's face, showing him exactly what she was thinking about at the moment.

"Ah." A light went off in Nahuel's eyes. "You thought a child of two half-vampires would be more...magical." Renesmee nodded.

"I love Pire, of course I do, but...I never realized how _slow_ a human baby grows."

"Or a half-human with half-human parents," Nahuel added, smiling.

"Or two one-hundred percent shapeshifter babies," said a husky voice by the door. Knowing that voice (and smeel) anywhere, Nessie jumped to her feet to greet Jacob. He held Tala while Leah, right beside him, carried Harry. Nahuel took Pire from his mate so she could greet her friends.

"Hey guys! And hello, cuties," the woman cooed at the twins. Tala looked at her strangely while Harry clapped his hands and giggled. Pire, wanting back her mother's attention, leaned forward in her father's arms and cried. Nessie smiled at turned back to her own baby. Once again settled in her mother's arms, Pire snuggled in to take a nap.

Jacob snickered at Nessie's dumbstruck expression. Turning to Nahuel, he said,

"Guess Nessie's arms are more comfortable." Nahuel frowned at first but that soon gave way to a smile when the women also started laughing.

"Don't sweat it, Nahuel," Leah assured the South American hybrid. "Tala likes Jake better too. But Harry has to be with me _all_ the time, _don't_ you, my little man?" the shapeshifter cooed at her son. Nessie snorted.

"Wow, motherhood's really softened you up, hasn't it, Leah?" She received a death glare as Leah growled,

"Shut up." Then, realizing what she said, Leah quickly kissed her children's heads and said, "Oh no, that's not right. You didn't hear that. I'm sorry, sweethearts." Then she gave Renesmee another glare, this one clearly saying 'Don't. Say. Anything.'

Soon, all three children were asleep and put in the same crib, which was the perfect size for all of them (Pire's parents assured their friends that it was perfectly safe; Pire wasn't venemous, nor prone to biting anything other than Renesmee's breast.) The four of them then settled on the couch, Nessie asked

"Did you tell Seth you were coming to visit?" Leah nodded.

"Yeah, but he's decided to look for a job in Seattle today," she answered.

"Oh, that's good. That's really good," a relieved Renesmee sighed. Leah frowned, catching something in her words.

"Why? I don't think you're talking about the job." The she-wolf stood up, hands on her hips. Her frown turning into a scowl. "You didn't want Seth coming today, did you? Why? What's wrong with my brother?" The last pat came out as a growl.

"Oh, no, Leah! That's not what I meant," Renesmee cried. "It's just - this is the first time you guys have seen Pire, and...and when I was a baby Jake-" The hybrid broke off, but the wolves caught her meaning.

"You were afraid Seth was going to impring on your daughter," Jacob said flatly. His former imprint nodded. A blush filled her delicate cheeks.

"Oh," said Leah. She looked a little uncomfortable. "Sorry. I-I had though the same thing, so...so I was a little glad he didn't come."

An awkward silence there then ensued, and before anyone could break it, there was a knock on the door.

"Come in, Dad," Nessie called, knowing her father's scent. She didn't quite understand why he didn't just come in (it was his house) but such a trivial thought was blown from her mind when she saw the worried look on Edward's face.

"What's wrong?" Nahuel asked. Edward glanced at him, then said,

"Alice had a vision." He paused, and it seemed endless. "Of a visitor."

"It's not those Italian bastards again, is it?" Jacob growled. All he could think about were his tiwns, young and defenseless.

Edward shook his head. "No. Alice didn't recognize him, but Nahuel was in the vision, and she heard a name...Joham." Nahuel froze. Renesmee's eyes widened, and Jacob and Leah frowned. Nessie, placing a hand on her mate's shoulder, started,

"You mean..."

"Yes." Her father sounded grim. "Nahuel's father is coming, very soon."

* * *

**A.N-Did you guys miss me? Sorry it's been so long; I just wasn't sure what to do. Do you think Joham was the right villian to choose? Oh, and another question: _should_ Seth imprint on Pire? Please let me know. I have an idea of a sequel, and doing something like that but...Just let me know, okay?**


	10. Explaining the Danger

Silence, for a moment, as the four of them processed Edward's words. Then, finally, Leah asked tenatively,

"Why would he come here?" Nahuel frowned, thinking.

"I-I don't know," he said, his voice tight. "There's absolutely no reason for him-" he broke off suddenly, and the expression on his face was full of fear. "He must have found out about Pire somehow." Renesmee gasped, and in a burst of speed had her daughter (still sound asleep) in her arms.

"How would he know that?" Edward asked, not really wanting his granddaughter's other grandfather anywhere near her.

"Aunt Hulien would never tell him," Nahuel said, thinking hard. "And I don't have much contact with my sisters except-"

"Except Jenifer," Edward finished, reading the hybrid's mind. "You told Jenifer about Pire." Nahuel nodded.

"Yes. I...I didn't think she would tell him." He sighed. Renesmee pursed her lips.

"What does he want?" she practically growled. Then, in a softer voice, she asked her father, "Did Aunt Alice see anything else?"

"He probably just wants to see how his 'experiment' turned out," Nahuel spat as Edward shook his head.

"When is he coming?" Jacob questioned.

"The trees and flowers were just blooming," Edward answered. "So in a few months, in the spring."

"We can be ready by then," Jake said confidently. Leah raised an eyebrow at him.

"Yeah? Ready for what, Jacob? It isn't like when those Italians came. We don't know what Joham has it mind, if it's a fight he wants or not."

"Which is why we _should _prepare," Jacob argued. As they bickered over a course of action, Nahuel started pacing, a human reaction to anxiety. Normally he was like most vampires, becoming still, but in times of great stress he liked to move.

"It'll be all right," his mate tried to soothe him. "Here. Hold your daughter." Nahuel immediately took the child from her mother's out-stretched arms. She sighed and snuggled deeper into her father's chest. Renesmee put a hand on Nahuel's shoulder.

"Listen love," she instructed. "Do you love your daughter?"

"Yes, of course," Nahuel answered, his hand gently smoothing Pire's hair back.

"And will you let anything bad ever happen to her?"

"No, never." He pulled Pire closer to his chest, as if that would protect her from all the evil in the world. Renesmee smiled.

"Then that's all you need. Joham doesn't understand love, because he doesn't care about anyone but himself. We don't know what he wants, but if it's a fight, we'll win, because we have love. So don't worry, okay?"

Nahuel looked at her. "Okay."

...  
La Push, Clearwater/Black house...

"Hey guys," Seth greeted his sister and her boyfriend as they came in the door. "How'd the visit go?" Jacob returned his smile.

"Good. Pire's a really cute baby. How was the job hunt?" Seth sighed.

"Not good. I don't know, I just don't know what I want to do. I mean, even you have the car repair shop."

"Hey! Don't diss the shop," Jake protested as Leah snickered and suggested, "Maybe you could work at at gym." Seth snorted.

"Yeah. Or be a motivational coach. 'You kids want to grow up big and strong, like me, right? All you have to do is eat your vegetables and cross paths with a vampire when you hit puberty.'" Jake chuckled as Leah snickered again and then shrugged.

"Well, you might not even have to choose, because according to Jake, a rapist-vampire is going to kill us all in our sleep soon," she said dryly, shifting her twins in her arms. Jacob glared at her while Seth stood gaping.

"What?" he said, utterly bewildered. So they explained about Joham and Pire and Nahuel's sister Jenifer. Afterward he sat down and stared at his adorable, innocent little niece and nephew.

"Well," he said. "That's not good." Jacob nodded in agreement.

"Not, it's not."


	11. Confrontation and Negotiation

A dark-haired vampire stepped into the clearing, scattering several birds in the process. Raising his head, the man sniffed the air, wrinkling his nose at the smell of animal. He caught many other scents as well: five disgustingly sweet, two mouth-watering delicious (though those were very, very faint), nine he recognized as his own kind, two slightly the same as the nine vampires, but sweeter, and one scent that was a varied mix between the vampire smell, the sweeter vampire smell, and the delicious smells.

And one, one of the sweeter vampires, he knew as his own. Jenifer had been right, his son was here. He couldn't fathom why Nahuel had left his beloved Amazon to come to this place, but he didn't really care, either. Jenifer had told him that Nahuel had found a mate — not just a vampire, but a hybrid like himself. Imagine! Another hybrid, totally unrelated to his children, one that would put his experiment to the test. And then, wonder of wonders, Jenifer said that Nahuel was a father. He'd had a child with his mate, proving that all hybrids were fertile, that there could be a whole race of them. Perfect! He couldn't have been more enthused. The next step had been to visit his son and his family. He had left the girls at home, wanting to scout things out for himself first. He supposed his daughters' presence might make their brother more inclined to accepting him, but, ah well.

Joham smiled, a bit cruelly, before setting off toward the place where all the scents led back to — the Olympic Coven's home. It was time to meet his grandchild.

...

Nahuel smiled at his daughter as he bounced her in his arms. She giggled and grinned at her father. She was bigger than she'd been yesterday; not terribly but the difference was noticable. Neither he nor Renesmee were worried about it, though his parents-in-law were a little concerned. But Nessie had turned out fine, and so had he, so there would most likely be no problem with Pire.

He stepped outside the cottage he and Nessie stayed in with her parents. They were going to move into the Swan residence soon, with Nessie's grandfather's permission so each couple could have more privacy (both were rather...active in their late night activities). As Nahuel showed Pire the different wildflowers, the wind blew a smell his way. The hybrid's head shot up, tense and alert. He knew that smell. It had been a long time since he'd last had the displeasure of meeting the owner of that scent, but he still knew it. He looked around and there he was, the vampire he least wanted to see, except perhaps for the Volturri.

"Joham," Nahuel whispered, pressing his daughter closer to his chest, trying to, it seemed, hide her from her grandfather. Joham smiled at him, warm and inviting, but Nahuel knew it was a trick. His father was a liar and trickster, a mad scientist and a false prophet. He hated him, and he wasn't ashamed to admit it. He knew that Edward would have seen his father's arrival and would be arriving soon himself, probably with the rest of their family.

"Hello, Nahuel," Joham said. He took a few steps closer, and Nahuel was tempted to step back, but he didn't want to show fear to the full vampire.

"Father," he acknowledged through gritted teeth. He didn't like the way Joham was looking at the child in his arms, the child who was clueless to the nature of the person before her. It was a blessing, Nahuel had thought, that never had anyone showed hate or fear or anger towards his daughter. Everyone loved her and would die for her in the blink of an eye. She didn't know that there were awful people in the world she had been born into, human and vampire alike.

"It's been a long time since we've seen each other, hasn't it, son?" Nahuel nodded as Joham took another few steps closer. He was closing the distance between them, and Nahuel didn't like it. Miraculously, though, that was when Renesmee and her family arrived — eight other strong vampires, half of them gifted. Carlisle smiled courteously toward Joham, stepping forward in front of Esme and the rest of them.

"Joham, I presume?" Carlisle said politely. "You are Nahuel's father?" Joham smiled back, just as courteous. The vampire could play the innocent gentleman very well; that was probably how he had seduced so many women.

'"Yes, that I am. Pardon my ignorance, but may I ask, who are you? My daughter did not know Nahuel had joined such a large coven."

"Certainly," Carlisle answered amicably. "I'm Carlisle Cullen, and this my family." He listed off his family, gesturing to each as he named them: "This is my mate, Esme, and our...children if you will, Rosalie, Emmett, Alice, Jasper, Edward, and Bella. And this is Edward and Bella's daughter, Renesmee. Nahuel's mate." Joham immediately zoned in on Renesmee, and Nahuel hated the fascination in his father's eyes. He hated the way he knew what his father thought of his mate, and their daughter. He hated everything about his father, always had, but more so now because he was a threat to everything he loved.

"I see," Joham breathed. His gaze turned back to Pire, who was watching her grandfather as intently as he watched her. "And this must be your child, Nahuel. My granddaughter. What a beautiful...girl." Nahuel got the feeling 'specimen' or 'test subject' was closer to what Joham was thinking.

"How does she grow?" Joham wondered. "I can hear her heart; very much like a human's, yes? Does she drink blood or eat food? Is she gifted?" Joham glanced briefly at Carlisle before bringing his attention back to his granddaughter. "Do you track her progress? Make notes, things like that? Surely you must. She is one of a kind." His tone was proud and wistful. "She is _special._"

"Yes, she is," Renesmee agreed, her voice strained.

"You haven't asked her name," Nahuel blurted. His father looked bewildered.

"What?" he asked.

The hybrid pressed, his voice rising, "You don't care about _her_, just your experiment. How _dare_ you come here and disturb us? How _dare_ you act like you care? She is _not_ your granddaughter. She is Bella's and Edward's and Pire's. Not yours, never yours because you _don't care_." Nahuel took a breath and started again, not giving Joham a chance to talk,

"This is not your territory and you are outnumbered. I want you gone. I want you to leave my family alone; you have no right and no business being in my daughter's life. Jennifer may come if she likes, and Maysun, too, I suppose, but you and Serena are not welcome." His father remained where he was, his face a mask of absolute shock. Then his eyes roamed over the Culles, sizing them up. Finally he looked at Carlisle.

"And what do you say, Carlisle? Do you wish me to leave your territory?"

"I think that would be best for all involved," Carlisle said quietly. Joham pursed his lips, then nodded.

"Very well," he aquiesced, his voice tight and controlled." He glanced back at his son and narrowed his eyes. "_Do _give my regards to your aunt — it's been so long since I've seen Hulien."

"Oh, I'm sure she'll appreciate it," Nahuel responded icily. Joham sniffed and told him,

"Sarcasm does not suit you, my son." He looked at Pire once more, longingly, and then he was gone.

Nahuel had not realized he'd been holding his breath until his father was gone. He squeezed his daughter tight, and then he felt his mate's arms around him.

"It's all right," she murmured into his back. "It's all right. He's gone. Pire's safe. We're all safe." Nahuel wanted to believe that, but he didn't. He looked at his father-in-law and asked, out loud,

"Are we?" Edward pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I don't know," he said at last, his tone impling he did not appreciate that fact. "Joham – his thoughts were all over the place. He was remembering Serena's progress, and wondering whether it was similar to Pire's. He knew he wouldn't be welcome, but he thought maybe it wouldn't be this bad. And he kept pondering if we have any abilities, and what his chances against us were. But other than that, he doesn't seem to pose a threat. Right now he's analyzing the facts he's been given, and he's trying to figure how what this means for him."

"His emotions were also quite messy," Jasper put in. "He was surprised, elated, and wistful. But mostly he's annoyed. Very angry." The blond vampire shrugged. "Like Edward said, he's mulling over this new information. He's angry, but not vengeful. He is not one to act on pure emotion."

"And because of all that, I have no idea what he's going to do," Alice grumbled. "So we'll just have to..._wait and see." _Admitting her inability to help her family was obviously aggravating to the psyhic pixie.

"We need to tell the packs," Bella said. "In case Joham passes over the line — they need to know he's no friend of ours."

"That's true," Renesmee said. "I'll go down and tell Jake." She glanced at her mate and child, the latter fidgiting uncontrollably, then added,

"After we get Pire settled."

...  
La Push, forest  
Leah's POV

I knew something was wrong as soon as I sniffed the air. Jake and were in our wolf forms; we had gone for run...more like a race, but whatever. Anyway, the smell on the wind was undeniably leech, but not the Cullens, and it wasn't familiar in the slightest, so none of their allies from so long ago. No, this stench was new, strange, and a threat.

_Jake_, I said. He knew, of course, what I did. He nodded, and immediately we bolted out of the trees, Jake going one way to warn Sam and the others, and me to follow the smell, which — nightmare of all my nightmares — led directly to my house, one of the closest to the border. I pushed my legs even harder, fearing for my baby brother and my actual babies.

I reached my house and quickly ran the perimeter. The leech wasn't outside. That meant – my heart lurched though I'd deny it – that meant the bloodsucker was _inside_. He was _inside_ **my home. **He was with my twins and little brother. Rage surged through me, and it took me awhile to squelch it enough to phase back into a human. Not caring (not even noticing) that I was butt-naked, I ran into the house and then my babies' room, where the smell was strongest.

Seth was there, trembling in his rage, and I wondered for a moment why he didn't phase – but then I saw why he was afraid: the intruder held my babies — _my_ _babies_ — cradling them to his chest, smirking triumphantly at my brother. Poor, terrified Harry was howling, and my darling Tala was squirming violently against the arms that imprisoned her and her brother.

The bastard blood-sucker noticed me and smirked too. He raised an eyebrow at my apparal, or lack thereof, and nodded appreciatively. That solicited a growl from both Seth and me, but the vampire just tsk-tsked.

"My, my, no need to frighten the children more with such violent noises," he chastised. Then he looked Seth and I over again, and he sounded eager as he said nonchalantly,

"Oh, how I would love to disect you! Imagine what things could be learned from your genes." He paused as I snarled at him. What a psycho.

"I imagine it shouldn't be so hard," the psycho continued. "I hear you are still just humans — you have soft, penetrable skin like them, and you bleed just as easily. So many stories surrounding your kind — you're famous, you know, in my world, from your alliance with Cullens all those years ago." All right, so this bastard knew about the Volturri confrontation, but then again, it had been a pretty big event for the leeches, and a lot of them had been there. Not that I cared.

"Don't count us out yet," Seth growled. He glanced at Harry and Tala worridly. He then demanded,

"Leave them alone. They are innocent children, and have nothing to do with this." The vampire cocked his head, then laughed.

"Oh, but they _do_," he said. "See, these two — and you, actually, I can smell it — have connections to the Cullens. And I need a footstool with them, so to speak."

"What are you talking about?" I snarled. Jake had better get here soon. His children were in danger, and he _wasn't here. _Where was Sam and his Pack? Dammit, I needed them!

"Your scent," the vampire said dryly, "was all over the Cullens' land. Now, are you trespassers, or are you friends?" His burgandy eyes — I shivered — glowed with interest. "I think you are friends. And now, we can be friends as well. What do you say?"

"I say f- you," I growled. "Now put down my kids so I can tear you apart." The leech cocked his head, looking amused.

"No, I think not." He looked at my children who had stopped crying and squirming; now they trembled slightly as he held them. I yearned to rip them out of his arms and cradle them myself, keeping them safe from this Cold One.

"Perhaps," he mused, "perhaps I need to enlighten you a bit. Yes, I will tell you why I am so interested in the Cullens. It's about their very newest member, you see, the baby." I frowned. Pire. Of course people would be interested in her. So far, she truly was the one-of-a-kind species that her parents weren't. Could this be a new member of the Volturri, or perhaps a wannabe, trying to impress them? Either option was bad.

The vampire continued, "Yes, I am very interested in her. In fact, I hold it as my right to see her. She is, after all, my granddaughter." My eyes widened, and Seth and I risked a quick, startled glance at each other. This...this bloodsucking SOB was Pire's _grandfather_? Well, he certainly wasn't Edward, so he had to be...

"You're Nahuel's father," I said, swallowing the lump in my throat. "Joham."

He looked pleased. "Yes, you've heard of me? Wonderful. Alas, I do not know your names. Care to share?"

"No," Seth and I retorted in unison. Now that I knew who he was, my anger increased. Nahuel didn't talk about his father very much, but when he did it was with evident scorn and disgust. I _really_ didn't want him touching my babies.

Joham shrugged, unconcerned. "Well, no matter. It's not really important." His eyes gleamed again, and he smiled, showing his teeth. "Indeed, I don't need your names to control you — I have something better." He looked down at the twins, then smiled at us again, knowingly this time.

"Emotional ties are so fascinating, don't you think?" he commented. "Everyone says it hs to do with the brain, and it probably does, but wouldn't it be intriquing to see if they had something to do with the _heart_?"

"You should have majored in psychology, then," I told him, "instead of kidnapping my children." Joham shrugged.

"Tell us why you're here," Seth demanded. "What do you want? What does it have to do with us?"

"Oh, this is a hostage negotiation," Joham exclaimed, like it should have been obvios. "I'm going to keep these two, until I get what _I_ want. And I want my granddaughtr."

Just then, as my brother and I were processing the vamps's words, I caught the smell of fifteen wolves. Apparently Joham smelled them, too, because his face twisted into an expression of disgust. Then he took a deep breath, perhaps trying to get used to our stench, and shrugged.

"No matter," he said. "I still have my bargainng chip." And that he did.

_Great timing, Jake, _I thought_. **Surperb** timing. Awesome._

Not_._


	12. No Deal — Plans

Renesmee's POV

The person who picked up the phone at the Black-Clearwater residence was not one I had ever expected to hear.

"Hello?" My mate's sire's voice came over the line, and I was shocked into silence. My family, who was with me and could hear every word, gasped and started murmuring among themselves. Nahuel was suddenly right beside me, clutching our daughter tight.

"Hello?" the voice said again, soundly cruelly amused. "Is this the Cullens? Oh, good, I was hoping to get in touch with you."

"Joham," I growled, breathing heavy. "What are you doing at Jake and Leah's house?"

"Why, bargaining, of course," the 'scientist' returned cheerfully. "Are you aware, dear Renesmee — that is who's speaking, yes? — that your friends here are actually wolves? So interesting!"

"I am well aware," I said tersely. "And what do you mean by 'bargaining'? Where are Leah and Jake? And Seth?"

"Oh, well you can't possibly expect me to know their names," he responded. "Especially not when they're being _so _uncooperative." I heard the phone shift, and then Joham's voice, asking, "Are either of you Leah? Or Seth or Jake?" I hated the mocking tone in his voice, hated how he acted like everything was either an experiment or a test.

"Nessie." I was so relieved to hear Seth. I clutched the phone tighter, not that it would make a lot of difference. Seth continued,

"Whatever you do, Nessie, _don't _listen to him and _don't _come down here."

"But Seth-" I started to say but he just kept insisting I not listen to Joham (Like I would, anyway). I heard the phone shift again, and Joham was sighing,

"Oh, how repetitious! Like a broken record. Really, _Nessie_" he sneered my nickname "you don't need to pay him any heed." Seth was arguing again, and I was glad to hear Leah's voice, too — though I couldn't tell what condition they were by their voices, they_ seemed _all right. But then I heard Joham snarl, and then suddenly the Clearwater siblings ceased talking, and then I heard a baby's cry.

Dread and horror filled me as I looked at my family. The worst had happened. Joham had the twins.

...  
Seth's POV

I nearly lost all control when the bloodsucking bastard put his teeth on my nephew's neck. My shaking grew worse, and Leah literally had steam coming out of her ears. Joham raised his head and smiled at us. Then he turned back to the phone.

"Now then," he told Nessie, "I told you I'm here bargaining. Would you like to hear what my price is?"

"What," I heard Nessie growl, "do you _want, _Joham?"

"Your daughter." His answer was immediate, and it made my stomach twist. I would do _anything _to save Tala and Harry...except sacrafice another child in their stead. And as much as I knew Nessie and Nahuel and the Cullens cared about the twins, I also knew they wouldn't part with Pire.

We were at a stalemate.

"It's either I get my granddaughter, or these two lovelies," Joham added sweetly.

"You'll never make it out of there alive," snarled Nessie, anger making her sound feral and monstrous.

"Then why are you so worried?" Joham countered. "And why haven't the two wolves here ripped me apart already? I think we all know the answer." And that was true. As long as he had Harry and Tala right on him, none of us would dare attack him. He had the greatest shield. A growl built up in my throat. My sister's body was slighty red from her anger. And, even though I couldn't hear my brothers (and though I would never again hear Sam or his pack) I knew they were as worried and scared and angry as I was. This vampire was threatening our own, and we had to find a way to punish him.

But how?

Joham was talking again. "So, Renesmee, I'll give you, mmh, about five minutes to decide what you want to do. Your offspring or the wolves'." He cut the connection and smiled pleasantly at my sister and me.

"Now," he said, "what should we do to pass the time?"

...  
Nessie's POV

"What do we do?" I demanded hysterically. There was no way I was letting Joham have my baby, but I despised the thought of him touching the twins. We had to figure out how to keep everyone safe. I looked at my father and aunt, hoping they might have some idea. Aunt Alice, eyes closed, sighed and, pouting in exasperation, rubbed her temples like she had a headache.

"I can't SEE anything," she griped, her voice rising a few octaves. Uncle Jasper put his arm around her protectively. Uncle Emmett growled and demanded in a tight voice,

"Why can't we just sneak over and try a surprise attack? He might let go of the twins then."

"He'd _smell _us then, genius," Aunt Rose sneered; obviously she was really upset and worried, to be so snappish with her mate. But her words had given me an idea.

"Maybe I could go and bargain," I suggested. "I have a unique scent, so it might confuse him, and plus he just met me — Nahuel can't go because Joham would know-"

"Joham lives and breathes hybrids," my mate interrupted. "He would know it was you anyway."

"We can't just let Joham get Jake and Leah's kids!" My mom exclaimed. "I won't let him take my granddaughter, but what are we supposed to do? Could we trick him somehow?"

"Possibly — probably, actually," Granpa mused. "The question is, how?"

"Maybe we should pretend to go along," Uncle Jasper said. "Bring Pire to him-" A vicious snarl tore out of my throat while Nahuel dropped to a crouch, growling. There was no way I was bringing my baby to him. She was going to stay here, safe, away from her deranged and evil grandfather. Uncle Jasper held up his hands, trying to calm us, while he tried another route,

"Alright, maybe not. But he wants Pire. If he doesn't get Pire, he's going to take Harry and Tala instead. We don't want him to have any of the children, but unfortunately, he already has Harry and Tala in his possession. What are we going to do about it?" When Uncle Jasper got all serious and detached like this, it reminded me of his time in the Southern vampire army, with his creator, Maria. I didn't like it, though I understood how it might be necessary now. Aunt Alice pursed her lips, no doubt having little love for this side of her mate, either.

I bit my lip, then whipped around to look at the clock. Joham had given us five minutes; they were almost up. How were we supposed to devise a battle strategy in five minutes? Maybe that was the point — we couldn't.

The phone rang again. A few seconds passed as my family and I looked at it. Filled with trepidation, I pressed the 'Talk' button and brought it up to my ear. "Hello?" I said.

"They're gone!" Leah burst out, her loud voice making me wince. Her words hit me; her twins were gone? My chest tightened as I tried to imagine the horror my friend was going through. Her babies had been kidnapped — right in front of her! — and there had been nothing she could do. I gazed at my daughter, safe in her father's arms, and was suddenly immensely grateful.

"I am so sorry, Leah," I whispered, knowing that that wasn't enough. "I am so sorry. We'll be right over — I'm sorry we didn't come earlier."

"I'm sure you are," Leah said before hanging up; there had been a threatening growl in her voice, which made me feel small and guilty. We had done nothing to save her children.

"We're going to save them now," my father said in response to my thoughts. Nahuel handed Pire to Mom, and then we — meaning me, Nahuel, Grandpa Carlisle, Dad, Mom, and Uncle Jasper— were off.

...  
Clearwater-Black house, La Push...  
Edward's POV...

Both Jacob's and Sam's Packs were all in wolf form when we arrived. Having been granted permission from both Sam and Jacob to cross the border (as no one but Nessie was allowed to without it), my family were able to enter La Push. The wolves' thoughts were in disarray. They were all shouting out ideas, arguing with each other, and wondering what they could have done differently. In the middle of all the wolves were Leah and Jacob, with Seth circling them and Embry and Quil sitting close to them. Leah was snarling at Jacob, dropping into a crouch and then rising from it, screeching obscenities at him. She was blaming him for not getting there earlier, and Jacob was growling back, arguing in his defense. The six of us watched from the sidelines, unsure of what to do. Finally, Leah broke down and starting howling; and soon the rest of her pack did as well. Sam's wolves weren't sure at first, but Sam was the first after Jacob's pack to mourn, urging his wolves to do the same,

_Our brother and sister have lost their pups. Our land has been infiltrated and our people robbed. How can you not mourn with your family? _One by one the others starting singing their sad, lonely song, and Jasper looked overwhelmed by the amount of grief pouring off them.

Finally Leah noticed us. She turned, Phased back, and launched herself at Renesmee, paying no heed to the fact that she was as naked as the day she was born. She clutched my daughter to her, then pulled back. Her eyes were a mess of equal parts rage and sorrow.

_"They're gone," _the shapeshifter breathed, her voice laced with pain. "He _took _them, and he _escaped _into the damn ocean where we can't f-ing follow him!"

"Just like Victoria, all those years ago," Jacob (who had Phased behind a bush and put pants on) put in, his voice, too, full of pain. I growled slightly at the mention of the murderous she-devil who had tried to kill my love and our family long ago. Nahuel was silent next to me, but his thoughts were a buzz: he was going through his memories, trying to figure out where his father might be going next. I listened to him, wanting to know everything there was to know about the beast my son-in-law had as a sire.

"Portugal," he said at last. Everyone turned to him, and I let him tell his reasons.

"Joham is originally from Portugal," Nahuel explained. "And Jenifer told me that's where he's...stationed now, if you will. When Joham likes to celebrate, he always goes back to his native country. I'm sure he'll want to celebrate his new...find." The hybrid's voice was full of scorn and disgust, and once again I thanked Huilen for being such a godd aunt to him.

"Then that's where we're going!" Leah said confidently. Her brother nodded, but Jacob and Sam, exchanging a look, seemed unsure.

"Maybe we should form more a plan," Sam advised. Leah whirled on him, fists clenched, and spat,

"I am not waiting while I know where my babies are being taken! Especially not when the bastard wants to experiment on them!" She turned toward her mate. "Jacob, you know what I mean, don't you?"

"I do," Jacob agreed. "But I know what Sam means, too. It's not like we can run to Portugal — it's across the Atlantic, remember. We'll need passports, plane tickets. We need a plan, Leah." Leah's face grew hot as the imprints stared at each other. Carlisle coughed, then said,

"We will, of course, contribute to any funding needed. And, if I may add, we have a few...connections, if you will, that might get you to Portugal quicker — without as much hassle."

The distraught parents looked at my father for a long time. Then, Jacob said softly, "When can you get us there, Doc?"

"Two days at most." Leah set her jaw and nodded.

"Then let's go."


	13. Sisters

**A.N — There will probably be only a couple more chapters after this one, but I am thinking of a sequel, where the babies are all older; I have some plot worked out but not a lot. Thanks for all the continued support!**

* * *

Jake's POV.

As a wolf, I've always felt happier and safer in the woods, and the woods of Portugal were thick with tall trees, awash with beautiful autumn color. If this had been a regular trip, I might have enjoyed being in a foreign country a lot more. But I was here on a rescue mission, because a bloodsucking monster had stolen my children. In wolf form, I bared my teeth and let out a frightening growl. Joham would pay in blood.

_We'll make sure he suffers, Jake_, Embry swore inside my head.

_There's no way we'll let some bloodsucking bastard keep our pups,_ Quil added, an unsual snarl in his tone.

_I know_, Leah and I said at the same time. It was our Pack, plus Nessie, Nahuel, Edward, Jasper, Bella, and Alice. It should be enough to take down Joham, and as there wouldn't be any seas he could disappear into, he wouldn't escape.

We all had Joham's scent, so we could track him. I was yearning to go now, every instinct ordering me to go find my pups _now_, and I knew the rest of my Pack felt the same way. They just needed my go-ahead. I was ready to give it, too, but Edward said softly in reply,

"We need a plan first, Jacob." I turned on him and growled. Plan? The plan had been to find a way to Portugal and then hunt down Joham. We were in Portugal — with the Cullens' aid, I had to give them that — but everything after, we wolves could handle.

"I don't think you can," Edward answered. Leah snarled at him. She wanted her kids, our kids, back, and right now Edward was just another leech in her way.

"We know Joham's smart, and manipulative," Edward said, trying to sound soothing. "What if you get there and he has ahold of Tala and Harry, like last time? You wouldn't attack then. And he might not even be at his house now."

_Then we'll just sniff him out somewhere_, Seth growled. _And we know better what we're up against. I don't want to wait any longer. My niece and nephew are peobably hurting now._ He let out a whine, which Leah and I quickly imitated. _I won't wait any longer._

"What if I go first?" Nahuel asked. We all turned to him. Nessie frowned and clutched his arm while Edward cocked his head, seeming surprised at his son-in-law's thoughts.

"What would that accomplish?" Bella asked, sounding perplexed. Nahuel swallowed.

"Well," he began, "it might get Joham to lower his guard a little. He would expect this, a full-on ambush, but not just me. I could try to negotiate, relax him a bit. Plus my sisters will probably be there, and Jennifer will believe me, and if she wants to hear me out, Serena might, just maybe. With the two of them willing to talk Joham might enertain the idea as well."

"And if he doesn't 'enertain' it?" Nessie demanded. "What if he just attacks you? Or maybe _he's_ the one lying in wait. What's to stop him from harming you? Does he really listen to your sisters that much, that he would just give you a free pass?"

"He wouldn't hurt me," Nahuel assured quietly. "I'm still his son — his only son, as far as I am aware. I'm venomous, something none of my sisters are. Despite all these years of indifference and spite on my part, I'm sure my father would gladly welcome me into his fold if I wished it."

Alice made a disgruntled noise and clutched her head. "It sounds all right," she hedged. "Though with all these dogs and you and Ness and your sisters, I can't be sure." She sighed and Jasper muttered to her,

"So I'm not really sure _why_ you have to be here, Alice darling." His mate glared at him.

"We've talked about this already," she argued. "Esme and Rose are going to look after the town and Pire, and Emmett and Carlisle aren't going to leave them behind, but _I'm_ not going to let you go face this without me, gift or no gift."

_This is wonderful_, I snapped in my mind, growling a little to emphasize my urgency. _But it is not getting us any closer to Joham or my kids. So wrap it up and decide on Nahuel's idea!_ Personally, I thought it might be a bit too risky but we had no other option and I certainly wasn't going to veto any rescue plan we came up with. Leah was all for it, and so was Embry. Seth and Quil were a little more of my mindset.

Edward pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation. "Jake and the others are getting impatient. Understandably," he added when Leah and I glared at him. "I must admit, while perhaps a little faulty, Nahuel's idea does make some sense. Maybe, just maybe he could lure Joham out, so we can come in and get Tala and Harry." Nahuel nodded, seeming resigned to his duty. He paused, then addressed my Pack and me,

"I know...I know it may not be your first choice, but, if at all possible, I ask that you spare my sisters from your wrath. It is not their faults that they are with Joham; it's how they were raised. I've tried to make them see things my way, but they see Serena and Joham more than me. Please, if you can retrieve your children without harming my sisters, I beseech you to do so."

My Pack and I looked at each other, all our thoughts zipping through the others' heads. On one hand, Nahuel was right and that it wasn't their fault. Joham was a manipulative b*stard, and to have him as a father — to be _raised_ by him must be awful. Of course, they were evil, human-draining half leeches. It was the duty of the Pack to protect humanity. But not now, not really. We were being selfish in a way, just here to protect our own. Nahuel's sisters didn't need to suffer for their father's actions; we knew HE wasn't like Joham so maybe his sisters weren't entirely either.

Deciding, I addressed Edward: _Tell Nahuel we'll try, but if they can in our way I refuse to spare them._ Edward relayed this to his daughter's mate; Nahuel's mouth thinned, but he nodded.

"Alright," he said. "I'll pick up his scent and see where it leads me. I'll try to lead him away, or at least distract him." He gave a weak smile. "Don't worry," he told my Pack. "I will make sure your pups are returned to you unharmed."

"Be careful," Bella advised as Nessie wrapped her arms around him, kissing him good-bye. Nahuel nodded, then sped off into the trees.

-—-Nahuel's POV

"Nahuel?"

I almsot laughed at the utter disbelief in my younger sister's tone. Jennifer, along with Serena, had come out when they caught wind of my scent, teeth bared and hissing, obviously ready to defend their current home. I could smell Maysun; she was here, but she had never really cared about meeting new people or guarding her territory. She'd always been rather emotionless, actually.

"Hello, sisters," I greeted. They were still staring at me, unsure of how to proceed. Serena looked suspicious, a wary look in her brown eyes. Her long black hair — not quite as dark as mine — was done up in a braid; it had been cut very short last time I'd seen her, though that was a while. Jennifer's dark brown hair was the short one now, a pixie cut like Alice's. She seemed somewhat more accepting of me, her bright green eyes open and friendly, if shocked.

"What are you doing here, Nahuel? I assume you're not here to sow good will between yourself and Father. You never do," Serena said, narrowing her eyes. Jennifer clucked her tongue at her.

"Oh, who cares why? Maybe he's here for me," she retorted, rolling her eyes. She turned back to me. She seemed excited. "Is that it?" she asked. "i see you have not brought your aunt with you — nor your little mate. You promised I could meet her next time." Here, my sister pouted, and it struck my heart. I longed to bring Jennifer back with me, but she could not understand my ideals about our kind and human life, no matter how hard I tried to teach her.

"Or maybe," Serena cut in, giving me no time to answer, "he's here for the human pups." My ears pricked up. So the twins _were_ here. Yes, if I strained my ears I could hear two regular heartbeats and smell the delicious scent of human underneath the suffocatingly sweet ones of my sisters and father.

Jennifer looked perplexed. "Now why would he come for that?" she asked, already dismissing the idea. Serena rolled _her_ eyes now, and her lips dripped poison as she answered,

"Because he values those creatures as _equal_ to us. Can you imagine?" Jennifer cocked her head, then giggled.

"Well, it really isn't his fault. It was his aunt filling his head with silly ideas from when he was young."

"Mmh." Serena looked at me, still uneasy with my presence here. I never liked Serena; she was too much Johahm's pet for me to relate to her.

"My aunt is not silly," I said forcefully, finally getting a word in. "Nor are her ideals. And I'm sorry I have not brought Nessie here for you to meet; perhaps another time." _Like never_, I thought, disliking the idea of my love being here now. I took a deep breath, then continued,

"And, actually, I am not here for you, Jennifer dear. I...I am here to talk to...Father." I managed to say the last word without choking. "Is he here?"

"No," Serena answered, her eyes roaming every inch of me, trying to figure out my motives, I'm sure. "He has gone hunting. He will not be back soon."

"Oh, then you must stay overnight!" Jennifer exclaimed, clapping her hands. I tried to hide my grimace. I had spent a few days with Jennifer before, but staying overnight waiting for Joham while Jacob and Leah's twins were terrified, their parents likewise.

Suddenly my sisters' faces scrunched up in disgust. I sniffed the air and realized, to my horror, that the wolves had decided they couldn't wait anymore.

"What is that?" Jennifer cried.

"That," our father's voice rang out as he appeared besides my sisters out of nowhere, eyes blazing and snarls ripping from his throat, "is the sound of death that your brother has brought with him."

Jacob emerged from the woods, Leah and Seth hot on his heels. Jennifer stumbled back, a hand thrust in front of her face. Serena dropped into crouch and hissed. Quil and Embry came out on the sides, snapping and growling, muscles taut as they waited for their Alpha's command.

"What are you doing," I hissed at Jacob as I fell back. Leah and Jacob glanced at me, growled, then turned back to Joham. There were no signs of Nessie or her family, though if I tried I could just barely scent them on the wind.

"Nahuel, what have you done?" Jennifer demanded of me, looking aghast.

"He has betrayed us," Joham intoned. Anger flared up in my chest.

"You are the one who betrayed me," I hissed. "Me and my mother, the day you left her. There is a reason I have no loyalty to you, _Father_."

"I knew it," Serena muttered quietly. Embry snapped at her, and that brought me back under control. Anger burned in me once more, but it was towards the wolves now. I hadn't wanted my sisters involved, just Joham. But now Joham was here, and the twins and my sisters were in the way. The shapeshifters had gone against the plan, and it might just cost us everything.


	14. The Battle, Part One

**A.N — Sorry for the long wait, guys, I just couldn't figure out how to go from the last chapter. I was a little disappointed I didn't get as many reviews, so if you would all be so kind as to write a little something, I would be delighted and much obliged.**

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Leah's POV

I could smell them, my babies. Their sweet, new human scent made my heart ache, and I longed for nothing in the world more than to hold them in my arms, or even just have them cuddled against my fur. Thoughts and worries about their condition angered me to no end. I growled and stepped closer to Joham and his daughters, ignoring Nahuel's angry reprimands. Who was he to lecture us? It was not _his _child in danger — no, she was safely tucked away half a world over, wrapped up securely in her family's love while Jacob and I prepared to battle to death to get our babies back.

"How disgusting they smell!" One of Nahuel's sisters, a skinny girl with short hair and green eyes, exclaimed. I growled at her. She looked a bit like Alice, especially with her nose scrunched up just like when the little pixie caught one of her family wearing something unapproved by her (coughcough**Bella**cough**allthetime**cough).

I actually vaguely wondered where the Cullens were; they hadn't been too keen on the idea of blindly rushing in, but once we had caught Joham's scent approaching ever closer, we had all acted as one. If those leeches held, touched, or even _looked _at my children again I would rip their guts out and tear my babies from their arms, and I would make sure they were in perfect condition, no matter what those vegetarians thought.

"But think of their blood, sister," the other female hybrid said, actually licking her lips. "I've found that those who have a less appealing scent in reality taste very sweet!" Oh, and they called us disgusting? How sick could this chick get?

Joham actually had the audacity to laugh. "You truly are my daughter," he crowed. He shot a pointed glare at Nahuel and, still dropped in a defensive crouch, growled, "Do what you like and take care of them, my sweets, but I would like to keep one alive at least."

"Joham!" Nahuel shouted, snarling at his sire; he was ignored by all except the green-eyed one, who looked at him curiously, and maybe a little hurt, too.

"Yes, Father," the sick one replied.

_Well, **I'm** certainly not letting her test her revolting theory, _Embry snarled in my mind.

_Jake, let us have that one, _Quil requested. _Seth can have the short-haired one, and you two team up on Joham._

_Sounds fine to me, _my brother piped up. Jake thought about it; he was wondering if it was necessary, remembering what he had promised Nahuel.

_Don't think about that, _I barked at him. _See how they look ready to pounce? Did you not hear how they responded to his order? They're loyal to Joham, there's no way they won't interfere._

_Alright, _Jake decided reluctantly. _Okay, Quil we'll go with your plan. But remember there's another in the house, so Embry I want you to keep an eye out for her. We'll take care of Joham and then the next thing we do is get Tala and Harry. Understood?_

_Yes. _The four of us replied as one and, with an ear-splitting howl, we launched ourselves at Joham and his daughters.

...

Nessie's POV

I was relieved to see that my Nahuel was so far unhurt as he traded lunges and snarls with his father. The wolves were doing fine work with his sisters, though so far the two seemed to be able to dodge them. It was probably best that they used their speed and agility over strength, because I knew for a fact a shapeshifter would be able to tear into them easy, since we half-vamps were less durable than full vampires.

I tried not to wonder about Nahuel's feelings if the wolves ending up having to kill his sisters.

No, I needed to focus on the sister that was still in the house. My father and aunt flanked me as we snuck in through the back. Uncle Jasper and my mom would stay outside, in case Joham or his daughters caught a break and tried to come after us. I worried that that might be a real possibility, but with a pack of furious wolves bent on his death, Joham probably wouldn't have the time.

"You must be my brother's mate." I looked up to see a girl — no, a hybrid like me — standing in the middle of the room we had entered. It was a rather ordinary living room, with lampstands on opposite ends of a dark blue sofa; a lighter blue carpet covered the floor. A clean, bright white kitchen was connected on the side. I wasn't sure what I had expected from Joham's lair (maybe a torture chamber, or science lab smackdab in the middle of his home? Or perhaps that was in the basement) but this wasn't it.

I turned my attention to the hybrid who had spoken, obviously Nahuel's last sister. She had a slightly African coloring, and beautiful, silky-looking black hair. Her eyes were almost the same shade of brown as mine. She was a little taller than me, about 5'5", with a skinny frame.

"Yes, that's right," I answered finally, stepping forward slightly. She cocked her head and remained silent, staring at me. My father cocked his own head, listening to her thoughts and frowning as he read them.

"You are Maysun," he said. "Nahuel's second oldest sister." Maysun flicked her eyes in his direction, seeming rather unconcerned about the invasion of her mind.

"And you are the mind-reader," she returned. "You are like Father — you're the one who mated with a human." My father's teeth ground together, and I let out an indignant hiss.

"My father is _nothing_ like yours," I spat. "He actually _loves_ my mother. What would a psychotic maniac like Joham know of that?"

Her stare unnerved me, and I realized she hadn't blinked this entire time. I know I had always favored more human-like responses to stress, such as moving around and blinking, and my family was quite used to putting on a show, so it felt odd to see a being not acting the way I was used to.

"He would know nothing, I suppose," Maysun replied. "He is not interested in things like that. But, well, he was right, wasn't he? And my brother's existance — our father's loveless experiment — saved yours, yes?" I glared at her, irked that she was right. I hated Joham with a burning passion, but he was still part of the reason Nahuel was in this world and I couldn't truly fault him that.

"Enough of this," Aunt Alice snapped, interrupting. She looked pained, and that alarmed me for a moment before I realized she was probably getting a headache from being around so many hybrids. Shelooked at Maysun and tried pleading with her. "We mean you no harm. We just came to get our friends' children back."

"Yes, you want the human wolf pups," the hybrid said. She frowned then, one of the first shows of emotion I'd seen. "I don't really care about them. But Father wants them, and Serena always wants what Father wants. And they would both be angry if I just let you take them." She sighed, seeming bored with everything.

Then suddenly she dropped into a crouch and snarled. Her eyes were lit up with a hunger and I couldn't help but shiver even as I copied her stance, ready to fight.

_Let me go at her first, Dad_, I thought._ She's like me, half-human, so I should be enough_. My father hesitated a bit but then nodded. That gave me enough time to dodge as my love's sister lunged at me.

I turned on Maysun with a snarl, and in my mind tried to persuade my dad to go find the babies. I was worried we hadn't heard their cries; surely scared infants would be making a huge racket in response to the huge racket around them?

"Alice, go look for Tala and Harry," my dad ordered. "I'm staying as back-up for you, Renesme."

I lunged at Maysun and clawed at her face. She managed to rear her head back far wenough that I didn't reach her, but I did succeed in semi-tackling her. I saw Aunt Alice about to comply when suddenly the other hybrid flung me off her viciously, and at the same time my aunt was sent flying into a wall with a startled cry.

"Alice!" Uncle Jasper was there in seconds, frantically worried about his mate. My mom was there, too, coming over and looking concerned for me. Uncle Jasper turned his gaze on Maysun and let loose a furious snarl. She looked back at him calmly as I rose to my feet.

"It's not nice to go snooping around another person's home," she stated simply.

"That was her," Dad realized. He let out an angry hiss. "She has a gift."

"That's right," the girl agreed. Aunt Alice was on her feet again and standing by her husband, pouting.

"I may not be able to 'see' you, but don't think that'll happen again," my tiny aunt threatened.

"Is it mental?" My mom asked, though I didn't think so. My dad shook his head, and my mother's face fell. She couldn't protect us with her own gift.

Maysun opened her mouth, but an unexpected wolfish squeal of pain drowned out her next words. I winced in horror; what was happening out there? My father's face was scrunched in pain as he felt the wolves' connection.

"Joham bit Embry," Dad mumbled. My eyes widened and then I growled at Maysun.

"No more Miss-Nice-Girl," I said, crouching down. "I'm taking you down, sister of my mate or not."

Maysun looked indifferent. "Then come and try."

That's when I lunged.


	15. The Battle, Part Two

The dog's blood was just as disgusting as the smell had led him to believe, but as Joham ripped his mouth away from his victim's shoulder, he smiled in triumph, knowing from the pain-filled howl the wolf emitted that he had done well. Around him, the other four wolves echoed the first one's whine, flinching and twisting in pain as if they were the ones who had been bit. Serena, who had at first been fighting the one he'd bit but then moved on to the one female — _Leah_, if he remembered correctly, the young pups' mother — smiled as well, her head held high as if to demonstrate how much mightier she and her kind were than these foul-smelling beasts. Jennifer was not so pleased, looking almost frightened as she covered her ears to block out the wolves' painful keens.

And Nahuel, his own prodigal son, had a murderous look on his face as he growled at his father. He crouched down, then launched himself at Joham, who dodged easily. Snarling, Nahuel turned around and tried again, getting slightly closer, his nails tearing into Joham's flesh for a brief moment. The Portugal-native vampire bared his fangs at the boy as some of the wolves' whimpers turned into growls, and the scientist knew his daughters would be fighting again soon. Dodging Nahuel once more and landing his own hit, Joham asked,

"How can you ally yourself with these beasts, my son? What benefit does that possibly have for you?"

"Don't call me son," he snarled, eyes flickering back and forth as he sized his father up, trying to come up with a plan. Joham beat him to it, tackling his son and knocking him to the ground. Nahuel growled and took a swing, catching Joham in the jaw but failing to dislodge him.

"But that is what you are," Joham replied, putting all his weight on the hybrid. "And you still haven't answered me. Why do you risk everything to save their pups, when you could be home with your mate and own child?"

"Because they are important to my family," Nahuel responded. "They have helped them in the past, and are their friends, and it would be wrong of me to not do what I can for them, especially as their hardships come from an association with myself." His eyes narrowed, and it amused Joham to see undiluted hatred in them. What a passionate boy he had, still his only son after years of no experiments. It did pain him that he could not win Nahuel to his way of thinking, if only to have more control of the test results from his children's births and lives.

"Wrong of you, hmm? Such a big conscience you have, dear Nahuel," Joham sneered. "Tell me, did you develop it yourself, or was it placed there by Huilen, or your mate and her _family?"_ His son released a guttural growl, and then, with a strength Joham didn't think he had, pushed his father off, causing Joham to snarl as he landed on the ground. He was up in a millisecond, but Nahuel was faster and had collided with him, reversing their roles.

"Do not speak of them in such a tone," the hybrid commanded, a note of warning in his voice. "You may not have such a concept of family, or of love, but I do and I value those things above all."

"But what about your sisters?" Joham questioned, vaguely aware of his two daughters as they mostly skirted around the wolves and tried to keep them away from their father. "Aren't they your family as well? Shouldn't you value them above your family's 'friends'?"

A troubled look passed over Nahuel's face before he answered, "I would very much like them to be my family, but you have corrupted all my sisters with your narcissistic values. I know where I belong, and if they are like you, then it is not with them."

Joham nodded, accepting, and head-butted his son in the chest, earning an 'Ooph!" from Nahuel and giving Joham enough room to break out from under the hybrid. He turned away —

— right into the face of two snarling, angry, vampire-hungry wolves. Joham blinked, surprised, and then the little pups' parents pounced on him, jaws wide open.

...  
Maysun's POV

It is Serena's scream of horror that made me look away from my fight with Nahuel's mate. I frowned, perplexed, and absentmindedly flung my opponent back with a quick nod of my head, the air around her obediently following my command. Serena didn't scream; at least in anything other than anger. She could be very cruel when she was angry, often with Jennifer, but sometimes with me, and I had since learned it was usually better to just stay out of her way.

So why was Serena screaming? What was happening out there? Father surely couldn't be losing, which was the only thing I could think of that would make her so upset. Maybe she was losing. But Father would step in if it was very serious; Serena was his eldest, after all, and despite Nahuel and his mate's claims that Father didn't — could not — love, he had least cared for Serena. Whatever magic newborn hybrids work among their vampire families, Father was not immune to it. Maybe that's why he never allowed himself to care for me; maybe he didn't like being besotted by a child, and to have been by two would have been even worse.

"Joham is dead," one of the vampires — the mind reader, my opponent's father — said, staring at me. I jerked my head up, distracted, and that is when his daughter barreled into me, crashing us into the wall. I snarled, but she hit me, and my head went back, once more hitting the wall. I hissed in pain and bared my teeth at her, and tried to knock her off but the winds did not hasten to my call — was I really that damaged, that I couldn't work my gift?

"What do you mean?" asked one of the others — brown-haired; the mind reader's mate and Nahuel's mate's mother — turning towards the one who had spoken.

"Leah and Jacob just killed him," the mind reader answered, cocking his head and looking as if he was listening to something. "Nahuel has started a fire." As soon as he said that, I smelled the smoke, and then a horrid, sickly sweet smell permeated the air, and I felt the urge to vomit. Father. Dead? Yes, yes, I believed it. What...what should I do now? Should I seek vengeance? He was my sire. The cause of my existence. He gave me life, and I owed him everything, and as his daughter I should feel —

Nothing. I felt nothing. Serena was still screaming, and now I knew why. I should comfort her, at least, if she let me and didn't hit me. I stared at my opponent, who stares back at me, suspicious.

"It's alright, Nessie," her father said. "She's not going to fight us anymore." The girl looked at him, as if doubting him — _what kind of daughter does that?_ — but got off me. She stayed close to me, though, still not ready to trust me.

"Where are the twins?" she demanded. I blinked. at her. The twins? Oh, yes, the twins. Father hadn't wanted me to show them to anyone, but now he was dead; did his commands still apply? My head hurt terribly, but if Serena found out I disobeyed Father she would make it hurt even more. But Serena was grieving now, and surrounded by enemies. Nothing mattered anymore. Numbly, I walked toward the very back of our house, and showed them the door to the basement.

"There," I said. "You'll find them there." The hybrid, no longer my opponent, pulled open the door, hard, breaking it from its hinges, and rushed down the steps, five at a time. I turned to her parents, and the other two vampires with them, who eyed me up cautiously.

My father was still burning; my sister was still screaming.

I heard nothing from Jennifer, and wondered if she, too, is dead.

"May I go?" I asked. The two males looked at each other, then the mind reader nodded. I walked past them, resolved to comfort my sister, if she would have me.

...

Renesmee's POV

It was as Maysun had said; the babies were downstairs in the basement. There were two cribs in the back of room, decorated mockingly as a nursery: cheery yellow paint on the walls, with balloon-covered wallpaper and plush blue carpet. Mobiles hung over the cribs, where the twins lay, separated from each other; though they were clearly breathing and I could hear their heart beats, they appeared to be in a deep sleep, and I immediately started panicking.

"Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no," I muttered. I picked Tala up in my arms, examining her. She had enough color, and looking over at Harry, he seemed alright, too. But what had Joham done to them? Why were they still, like Sleeping Beauties?

"Nessie, they'll be fine." I looked up to see my mother standing there, along with Aunt Alice. My aunt nodded in agreement, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder as my mom picked Harry up in her arms.

"We'll bring them to their parents," Aunt Alice continued, "who I know will be freaking out with worry and panic like they should, but we'll all go home and take them to Carlisle, and he'll figure it all out — if they still haven't woken up already. Okay?"

I nodded. "Okay," I answered. Then I looked down at the babies and managed a small smile.

"Okay, sweeties, we're gonna take you to Mommy and Daddy now," I crooned to them. "'Cause we all know what breaks Sleeping Beauty's curse, don't we? Yes, true love's kiss." Hoping I would be proved right, I led my mom and aunt up the stairs, ready to return my friends' children to them.

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**A.N – So, hey guys; been a while, I know. Sorry about that. Wow, I can't believe it's taking me four years to finish this, and it _will_ be finished soon, probably only two or three chapters left. Thanks for sticking with me for so long, you guys rock, and I promise the next updates will be quicker.**


	16. Big Wolf and Baby Wolves

Leah's POV

As soon as Nessie and Bella came outside with my babies in their arms, I forgot everything around me — the fire Joham was burning in, his daughter's screaming, the dark look in Nahuel's eyes as he tore up his father's carcass, even Embry's pain — and raced towards them, shifting to human form as I went. Nessie smiled as I approached and gracefully relinquished my daughter as I grabbed her from the hybrid's arms. Then Jake was there, his own muscular arms encircling our son, and for a moment, as I took in their delightful human scent and heard the strong, healthy rhythm of their hearts, everything was completely right in my world.

And then I noticed my twins were absolutely still.

"What's wrong with them?" I demanded in a low voice, a panicked scream trying to force its way up my throat. "Why aren't they awake? Why aren't they crying?" When nobody said anything, I raised my head to look at Nessie and her mother and growled, "Answer me!"

"We don't know," replied Alice, who had come out of the house followed by her over-protective and still obvious tense husband, and Edward. "They were just like this when we found them. But Leah," she added when she saw my hands tighten around Tala and my breathing speed up, "it's going to be okay. We have them. They're safe with you, and we're going to get to Carlisle, and he'll figure something out, and he'll fix your babies. Okay?"

"In fact, it might be Embry who needs the most help right now," Edward interjected, coming across — to me, the only one who counted — as rude, though I knew they were both right. Embry was in pain, the vamp venom Joham had injected into him burning like a river of fire in his veins. So I nodded, looked at Jake, who was mimicking my head motion, and stared down loving at my children. Then I turned around, ready to be there for Embry, just in time to hear Joham's daughter — the brown-haired one, whom I had fought earlier — let out a blood-curdling screech and launch herself at Nahuel, who barely managed to push Nessie (who must have slipped away to see her mate when Alice was assuring us) out of the way before his sister tackled him to the ground.

The siblings tumbled about in the dirt, the girl hurling obscenities at Nahuel, in English and (what I assumed to be) Portuguese. She hit him with her fists and scratched him with her nails, but Nahuel did little more than put his arms up in a half-hearted attempt to protect himself. Feeling oddly protective of the hybrid all of a sudden, I handed Tala to her father and started to rush forward, just as Nessie, a murderous look in her eyes, did the same. But a hand on my shoulder, Edward's, stopped me, just as Nessie was halted by the other girl hybrid, the green-eyed one. Confused, we both stopped. I expected Edward to explain but it was the green-eyed girl who said,

"Serena doesn't mean to kill him. She's just upset. Nahuel knows that; he doesn't want us involved." Her words were proven true when, after a giving her brother some more abuse, Serena let out another screech and then rolled off Nahuel, curled into a ball, and continued to sob. All of a sudden I saw the situation as she did: she had been going about her life, content, and then enemies showed up and her father was dead and it was all because her brother led them to her door. I remembered my own sorrow at my father's death, and Serena's present actions didn't seem too terrible. But, she was still a killer, and she had still been a threat to my children — might still be, actually — and there was only so much sympathy I could give her.

Embry moaned, then, and immediately I turned my attention back to my Pack brother. He was still in wolf form, lying on his side, panting. Quil and Seth, also in wolf form, laid beside him. Jake and I rushed over, as did Edward, Bella, and Nessie.

"I wish Carlisle had come with us," Bella murmured as she placed her hand on Embry's shoulder wound.

"Would it be wise to let it be and just go straight home?" Nessie asked, addressing her father. Edward cocked his head, considering, then shook it.

"I think the best way to help would be acting now, but we don't have any equipment," he said, sighing. "I suppose...one of us will have to –"

"Suck it out," a voice from behind said. We all turned to see Joham's third daughter, standing by the curled fetal position that was Serena, staring at us.

"Don't tell them anything!" Serena moaned, and I noticed the girl's eye twitch, and she moved away a couple steps, but didn't heed her sister's command, continuing,

"Suck the poison out. Have your daughter do it; her bite should pose no problems with more venom getting into his bloodstream."

"Can you do that? Will it work?" Jake demanded, concern very evident in his voice.

"Well, I've done it before," Edward answered. "And it was helpful. Nessie," he said turning toward his daughter, who was alert at once, "do you think you can handle it?"

"Yes," she answered immediately, and hovering over Embry's shoulder, with all of us wolves watching her every move, she placed her lips over the wound and sucked. The sound she made was disturbing, and it went against all of my instincts to let her continue, occasionally lifting her head to spit out the poisoned blood. Embry, who at this time had been bucking nearly uncontrollably and howling, finally calmed, and then went as still as the babes in my and Jake's arms. I panicked for a moment, before I realized he was still breathing; he was just asleep. I let out a sigh of relief as Quil and Seth wagged their tails weakly, happy but still worried.

"Is he gonna be okay?" Jacob asked, looking at his former imprint. The hybrid wiped her mouth on her sleeve, Embry's blood bright and red against the paleness of her skin, and nodded, though she looked unsure.

"As okay as he can be here," she answered. "But Grandpa should be able to fix him when we get him home." Jake nodded, accepting, then turned to look at Joham's daughters; Serena was still on the ground, though she had stopped crying; the one who had spoken to us about the venom was crouching down next to her, a hand on the other girl's shoulder; the last one, the green-eyed hybrid, was talking quietly with Nahuel, pointedly looking away from the dying fire which made up her father's funeral pyre.

"Now, what are we going to do about them?" Jacob asked, eyes narrowing in their direction.

Nahuel looked up and held my mate's gaze. "Nothing," he answered Jacob, stepping forward. "To Jennifer, at least." The green-eyed girl blushed. "She has asked to go stay with my Aunt Huilen for a while."

"And the other two?" Jasper questioned, motioning towards Nahuel's last two sisters. Nahuel bit his lip, looking unsure, when one of the girls, the only one whose name I didn't know, said,

"I am not opposed to joining your aunt for a time, Nahuel, if she will have me." Nahuel looked at his sister and cocked his head.

"Are you sure, Maysun?" he asked. She nodded.

"Yes." She then looked down at their sister. "I can also make sure Serena comes, for however long _she _is welcome." Nahuel nodded slowly, considering, then turned to the rest of us.

"Is that satisfactory to the rest of you?" he asked. Seth growled, deep and menacing, and Jake and I exchanged dubious looks. That didn't seem good enough for what they had done. Then again, it had mostly been Joham, and they'd been brainwashed their entire lives; maybe going to live with Huilen would be better for them, even though Nahuel's aunt was still a human-drinker.

"We'll let them go for now," I said, glancing at Jake to see if he agreed. He looked skeptical, but nodded for me to continue. "But if they come back to harass us, or even just set foot in our territory, or yours uninvited, we won't show mercy. Understood?" Nahuel nodded, resigned, and his sisters, minus Serena, quickly agreed to my terms. Maysun kicked her sister, who snarled at her, but also eventually gave her own agreement.

Alice clapped her hands. "Alright," she said, tone authoritative, "let's get going. We have one injured adult wolf and two possibly injured baby wolves-"

"They're not wolves yet," I protested, but the pixie ignored me,

"-and our resident doctor is not here! So come on!"

"I will stay here a while," Nahuel responded, "just until I can get my sisters to my aunt's." Alice looked surprised, and Nessie looked downright devastated.

"You're not going to come back with us?" the hybrid asked her mate. His eyes softened and he took her hands in his, bringing them to his lips.

"Just for now," he promised. "I'll be back before you and Pire even know it. I just have to take care of them, you understand?"

"I do," Nessie replied glumly. Then she gave him a kiss on the cheek and stepped back. "Be safe, okay?"

"As you wish," he replied.

...

Jake's POV

"Come on, Doc, can't you go a little faster?" I demanded, anxiously glancing between my best friend on the operating table and my two children still unconscious in Leah's arms.

Carlisle sighed, exasperated with me. "Jake, I've done this before," he explained patiently. "Remember, when you took that hit for Leah, all those years ago, and I helped you?"

"Yeah, and you took samples of my DNA," I replied grouchily. But he was right; Embry was in good hands. Quil had gone back to La Push, to tell Sam and his Pack what had happened, and to be near Claire; Seth had gone with him to assure his mom and my dad we were all fine. Leah and I couldn't bring the twins, though, until the doc checked them out. Not knowing what was wrong with them was driving me crazy.

"Alright," Carlisle said, checking something on one of the multiple machines he had attached to Embry. "His breathing and heart rate is stable; there really wasn't much for me to so. It was smart of you to have Nessie suck the poison out, especially since her saliva isn't venomous."

"So, what, he just needs rest?" Leah asked, shifting Harry so she was more comfortable. Carlisle nodded.

"Basically, yes," he answered. "And really, this shouldn't surprise anyone, since we know how much you wolves like to sleep." I sighed in relief. Yes, if all Embry needed was to sleep, he'd be fine and back to normal in no time.

"Okay, then take a look at the kids," Leah demanded. Carlisle nodded seriously, and extended his arms to take the babies.

"WAHHH!" I jumped at the noise, startled. And then I started laughing uncontrollably because _they woke up_. My babies were awake! Harry flung his little fists in the air and waved them back and forth, and Tala flailed around, making it hard for Leah to hold on to her, especially as she, too, was laughing in relief. Carlisle looked shocked himself, but very soon a smile spread across his face.

"Well, looks like they decided to wake up for us," he commented. "But just to make sure everything's fine, let's still have a look-see here." Leah handed overboth our squirming children, who, to our worry and sadness, cried even louder when they were in the vampire's arms. I wanted to take them away from the cold, stone-like limbs the doctor possesed, and would have, too, if I didn't know Carlisle Cullen had only the purest intentions towards my children.

About an hour later, Carlisle looked over at us and smiled, Tala and Harry, while still fidgety, having ceased their crying.

"They appear to be fit and healthy as any babies their age can be," the vampire assured us. I let out a whoop, and Leah clapped her hands; we would definitely have to tell the others the good news soon. I turned to my mate, scooped her up, and then spun her around, to her laughing indignation. Finally. Finally, after all the battles and worry and uncertainty, everything was _finally_ 100%, absolutely right with my world.

* * *

**A.N – Okay, I'm pretty sure I only have one chapter left of this, though I do have an idea for a sequel planned, and I also have a couple companion one-shots written out. Speaking of that: should I just make totally new stories for the oneshots, or I should I combine them all into one little binder-story? I have one that goes along with the previous chapter, and one set in/possibly just before the sequel. Please let me know what you think, thank-you.**


	17. So Much Better Than Good

**A.N — Alright, guys, this is the last chapter! I can't believe it's been so long. I'm really grateful for so many of you sticking with me, and hopefully, when I get a sequel going (though maybe not for a while, because I have other stuff to work on), you'll enjoy that just as much. **

**Also, I published another companion one-shot to _Set In Motion_; it's called _Serene Child_ and is Ch. 2 of Set In Motion Companions. I'd be very happy if you guys checked that out.**

**Anyway, so now, without further ado, I present the last chapter of _Set In Motion By The Fates._**

* * *

When Tala and Harry were deemed appropriately healthy by Carlisle, Leah and Jacob hurried to get them home to La Push, eager to put the nightmare of Joham out of their minds. Embry was still sleeping, but Carlisle assured them he was fine, so they didn't worry about him too much; he was in good hands after all.

When they got home, however, there was an ominous sense of foreboding around the house that Leah didn't like. Jake felt something was wrong, too, so he handed Harry to his mate, and very carefully opened the front door, sniffing for any unfamiliar scents. There was none, just the usual ones of Leah, him, Sue, Seth, Billy, and Quil. So why did he feel so —

"WELCOME HOME!" Jake reeled back, startled, as Quil and Seth popped their heads around the corner from the kitchen, and Sue and Charlie appeared from behind the wall dividing the living room from the foyer. Billy also showed himself, rolling out from one of the bedroooms. Still shocked, Jake moved aside to let Leah in, who realized there was nothing wrong. Sue saw the babies in her daughter's arms and rushed over to coo at her grandchildren.

"Oh, my babies, Grandma was so worried about you! We were all so terrified! Don't scare us like that again, okay?" Leah snorted at her mother's words.

"Yeah, Mom, 'cause they _totally_ had _any_ control over their situation," she said sarcastically. Sue glared at her daughter, but then threw her arms around her as much as she could due to the height difference and the babies in Leah's arms.

"I'm so glad you're here safely, too," she murmured. "All of you." Leah smiled.

"I am, too," she replied. Just then she noticed out of the corner of her eye, Quil and Seth coming out of the kitchen with a gigantic cake — three tiers, covered in thick white icing with red edges, and as she was tall enough to see over the cake, Leah saw it read in big block letters, Welcome Back, Blackwaters! She raised an eyebrow and looked at her brother and Quil.

"What is this?" she asked. Seth grinned.

"Don't look at us; Mom and Emily made if for you guys, when we came earlier and told them mission accomplished," he answered. Leah shook her head in exasperation, but she couldn't help feeling a little touched at the effort her mom and cousin had put in. Plus, she was really hungry, and the cake looked too good to pass up. She turned to her mom.

"Buttercream frosting?" she asked, her favorite type of icing. Sue grinned.

"Of course," she said. Leah matched her mother's grin as Jake let out a whoop, obviously pleased with the flavor as well.

"Then let's get started," the Alpha announced, and everyone was happy to comply.

...

"You guys going somewhere?" Renesmee and Nahuel looked up from the boxes they'd been bending over to see Jake and Leah in their doorway. Jake held Harry, who was sound asleep, while Leah had a squirming Tala. After their surprise welcome party, to which Emily, Sam, and his Pack had come, Jake had suggested checking on Embry, still in Carlisle's care. Leah agreed, but first they decided to stop by Charlie's old house to see Nessie and Nahuel. Entering, they'd seen all the curtains taken down from the windows and the walls bare of the mang poctures Nessie had lovingly hung when she and her mate first moved in. The foyer and living room were also littered with brown moving boxes.

Nessie moved forward, a smile on her face as she greeted her friends. She hugged them both, then stepped back to answer Jacob's question, a sad tone in her voice. "Yes. Grandpa, Dad, and Uncle Jasper think it's probably time we move on. I mean, my parents and aunt and uncle never show their faces around town, since they're supposed to be about eight or nine years older by now and off living their lives, and Grandpa's been using all sorts of makeup and stuff to appear older, but we can't do that forever. Much as it pains me, I agree we need to leave."

"Oh." Jake looked down, obviously unhappy, and even Leah looked a little upset. It all made sense, of course; the wolves themselves hardly ventured off the reservation nowadays, trying not to freak out the regular people with their own lack of aging. "Where are you guys gonna go?"

"Nessie, Pire, and I are going to stop by to visit Aunt Huilen and see that my sisters are settling in well," Nahuel answered. "The rest of them will go to the Denalis in Alaska, where we will eventually join them."

"I mean, we won't be gone forever," Nessie added, trying to cheer the wolves up. "And we'll call and Skype and stuff. It's just something we have to do; you understand, don't you?"

"Of course we do," Leah replied, clearing her throat. "Yes, we do understand." She gave a little laugh. "Huh, I guess we won't be going with you, though. I always wondered what would happen when this day came, what with you being Jake's imprint. Obviously, he would follow you, and I figured either I would, too, or branch out on my own. I would have made sure Seth stayed with Mom, though."

Jake looked thoughftul, realizing that Leah was right. He'd always imagined himself traveling with the Cullens forever, all of them trapped in their immortality and he along with them, for Nessie's sake. But now she had Nahuel, and he had Leah and the twins. He smiled and added his own piece, "Yeah, I could never have imagined this would be the way it worked out." He glanced at his mate. "But I wouldn't change it for anything in this world." Leah bumped him gently (or as gently as Leah did anything) with her shoulder and smiled back.

"You'd better not," she warned in a playful voice. Nessie giggled and Nahuel also smiled atthe scene. Then Nessie sighed.

"I can't believe I'm leaving Forks," she said. "I mean, I've been up to Denali and down to Huilen's before, but not to stay. This – this'll be a big change for me."

"You'll be absolutely fine," Jake promised, reaching out to squeeze her hand. "You've got your dad and aunts and uncles and grandparents to show you the ropes, and your mom to experience this all with." Nessie nodded, only slightly cheered.

"When do you actually leave?" Leah asked.

"In a week," Nessie responded. "Mom and I gave Grandpa Charlie a heads up last week, and we thought we could give him that week, to spend time with an everything, but then...well, you know." She gestured towards the twins, whose parents nodded. "So he and Mom and I are gonna spend time with him until we have to go go."

"Good plan," Jacob said, suddenly very grateful he wouldn't have to go through all that with his own father. Despite their sometimes rocky relationship, the Black Pack Alpha loved his dad and wouldn't have liked to have to have such a parting.

Nessie nodded, then gave them both another hug, Leah first and then Jake. "Now don't forget to say good-bye to my parents," she admonished him. "Mom'll be very upset if she doesn't see you." Jacob shot her a full-blown grin.

"Whatever you say," he replied. Then, more seriously, he added, "You know I won't. I can't let my best friend slip away for who knows how long without a proper good-bye." Nessie nodded, approving.

"Good," she said. Then she got a wicked-looking grin on her face and she took her former imprinter by the arms and spun him around. "Now get outta here; we have to pack!" Jacob laughed and Leah rolled her eyes, but they both complied, and left the house with hearts only slightly heavy at the fact some of their best friends were leaving them.

...

Much later, when the sun was just starting to tuck itself into bed, Leah and Jacob were walking on the beach, each carrying one of their sleeping children, waves lapping at their feet. Leah's hand snaked out to grab her mate's, and they stayed like that for a while.

At one point, the two of them settled down in the sand to watch the sun light up the ocean, both quiet and content with each other and the babies. Finally, Jake broke the silence to say, "You know, Leah, we did pretty good didn't we?" Leah glanced at him, and he continued, "Well, I mean, you and I. We have each other, we have Tala and Harry, our parents are happy and our Packs at peace with everything...who would have thought we would ever be so lucky, what with the way our teenage years went?"

"Oh, Jake," Leah sighed. He looked at her, confused and a little concerned. But then she leaned up and captured his lips with hers in a sultry kiss. When they pulled away, she said, "We have done _so_ much better than 'good.'" Jake broke out into a gorgeous grin and kissed her again. The sun sank below the ocean in front of them, but with their lives so perfect, they knew the next day's beginning would be even sweeter.


End file.
